


The Synthetic Rose

by MechanicalRoseBud



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: A LOT of Angst, Geth, Hive Mind, M/M, Other, geth lovin, implied secondary relationship, twists in twists
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-04
Updated: 2016-11-23
Packaged: 2018-05-11 19:42:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5639599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MechanicalRoseBud/pseuds/MechanicalRoseBud
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shepard's resurrection and saving the galaxy again are a growing toil on his back. Even a man who has saved them before has never faced a threat so great and is bound to collapse under his own fears. What happens when it takes a machine to realize his limitations? My take on a twist of Shepard's 'black out' in the Mass Effect 2 DLC where they're solo in the mission and a even more lovable Legion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“Legion?” The familiar geth with the gaping hole in its chest made sudden whirring sounds as its face plates moved erratically it would have been the machine’s reaction comparable to surprise and relief with the way its tightly pulled limbs seemed to relax even just the slightest. “Shepard-Commander we require your assistance.” Though the mechanical voice didn’t give any hint of relief away the frantic face plates seemed desperate. Held up by the connecting weave of cables and cords, Legion was bound by restrictive programs both physical and electronic that disabled his movements from disturbing the signal being amplified through its own body. 

Leon Shepard was astonished at the fact of finding his geth ally in such a confining position, though he had wondered what had become of the geth once the Collector’s had been stopped. Seeing the geth’s body being restrained and treated as a thing put a fire in Shepard’s belly, disgusted at the treatment of his friend. 

“They were using you to project the Reaper signal? Where is the console to get you out of there?” The singular optic widen at the tight sound in Shepard’s voice before speaking, “To the right and up there is a console where you can manually disable the locks and firewalls on my system.” Shepard nodded sharply and the click as he reloaded his weapon was sharp in the air as mismatched cerulean and turquoise eyes met the single, white-blue optic of the geth, “I’m getting you out of there, Legion. Hang tight.” Legion seemed to go quiet as Shepard made his way to the console, the Prothean and Tali not far behind but the geth was only focused on the human. The human who had seemed infuriated with how it was now and as it felt it systems being released along with the cables letting free, the many processes decided to leave the discussion of this behavior for later. Right now, they had to escape before they all would be terminated. Legion immediately began to clear a path as hostile geth poured in to overwhelm them and despite the opposition they managed to escape in a fighter pod.

~~~~Later on the Normandy~~~~~~

“What was it like being connected to a Reaper?” Shepard’s question was out of his usual ones as Legion took a moment to process the answer before his optic widened, “It was hard to comprehend. Even with all systems and programs being initiated….A single thought was unable to be processed by us they are far beyond our processing power. Overwhelming is a proper word for the reaction.” Legion briefly tilted his head down to gaze at the large, damaged hole in chest plate before looking back at Shepard, who was leaning on a rail that surrounded the war room, allowing the large map to be placed in the center. 

“Sounds like you think they’re god-like.” Legion’s response was quick, the decision among the process almost unanimous, “They are advanced but mundane. Though we do understand now, more clearly why some would think of them as such.” Shepard seemed contemplating and stood up properly before folding his arms and holding his chin briefly. The mis-matched gaze from Shepard would be unsettling for other species that felt such things but Legion was unaffected, somewhat curious at the seriousness of Shepard’s gaze at its mobile platform. Taking the moment to do the same, Legion examined Shepard more thoroughly. Shepard had gotten older despite the short time span they had spent separated since his arrest. Slightly tanned, light skin still bore battle scars and was stretched over lean muscles of years of dedicated military service. 

The rare, different colored eyes had gone from a vibrant shine to something more dulled and weary, light blue hair was pulled into a short ponytail and the shadow of facial hair lined his sharp jawline and cheekbones. The short ponytail was not pulled into a strict tie like it had been usually but now it sagged, almost loose from the band in his hair dark streaks peppered the hair instead of gray like most aging humans. By species standards, Leon Shepard was an exceptional creature with both looks many species would deem handsome and experience with military. Noting a new scar crossing from above right eye dipping down across the bridge of nose and ending just short of crossing the left cheek was large if not somewhat hideous with the light scar tissue marring his face. 

“Shepard-Commander do you have any other inquiries for us to answer?” Legion’s processors deemed Shepard was waiting to ask a question but when the human shook his head and simply left they felt confused. None came to a consensus for the strangeness of Shepard’s actions and deemed that research would have been done quickly to avoid it affecting mission effectiveness. 

~~~~~A Bit Later In Captain’s Cabin~~~~

Shepard was panting hard as his body naked and hot against thin sheets as his arm jerked wildly. Moaning harshly scarred thighs quivered before a harsh groan forced his entire frame to lock up and in the dimly lit room mis-matched eyes looked briefly at a milky substance covering his hand before he sighed hard. He laid there for a moment starring at his ceiling before sliding out of bed to clean himself up in the shower taking the moments to look himself over and ran rough, calloused hands over a firm body. Shuddering as he closed his eyes images of a finely crafted shape came into mind as a light shone from its frame. The warm spray of the water raining down on him only pushed him further into the fantasy as he heard the soothing whirls of machinery, the smooth touch of cables brought together in such a way to mimic a body. Gasping, his hand only briefly brushed the tip of a hard cock curving at his thoughts. In his mind, it wasn’t his touch but that of a gray, three-fingered hand curiously brushing him.

“Legion…” Shepard spoke softly as he envisioned the underlying cables able to release so much strength but being so gentle against his skin. Moaning at the vision of a smooth, mechanical body watching him with its gleaming, singular optic pooled the desire in Shepard’s belly. Gripping his cock suddenly and jerking it hard, Shepard screamed in the rush of pleasure as his stiffened the copious spray of cum lost against the wall of the hot shower as it drained away from any evidence that it had happened at all. Shepard’s body relaxed as he leaned against the wall of the shower and with the water hitting his body he couldn’t help but feel some shame at what he’d done. What he’d been doing since he got back to his cabin. When he had seen Legion being confined like that he had felt…angry. 

When they came back to the ship the anger had turned into a strange kind of lust and he felt he was seeing the geth in a new light. Was it his synthetic implants? Ever since being brought back from the dead, Shepard hadn’t felt right since and the events that had led to that batarian colony being destroyed to prevent Reapers from attacking had made him feel stranger. He wasn’t sure what Harbinger had the doctor do to him in those hours he had been captured and unconscious but since then he had felt less human, less attached to the people he saw dying or those he was saving. 

Maybe it was since Garrus had denied his advances? He had felt something more for the turian but when he confessed all he got was nothing in return. They were on better terms now having re-established their mentor/pupil roles for each other but he had felt something detach at the rejection. When Legion had joined he had only felt mild awe and admiration for the geth but now how had his feelings taken a complete three sixty so quickly? Shepard suspected it had something to do with the nano-machines in his veins, the synthetics wiring his muscles, veins and even in his brain. What had Cerberus done to him? What lengths of his humanity had been sacrificed to his return? It was clear the Illusive Man was not afraid of giving up the human form to transcend humanity and what would have stopped him from wanting to use Shepard as a stepping stone. 

Shepard felt frustrated and quickly stomped out to dry off or at least try to clear his head. Stark naked he sat at his desk only draping the towel across his lap as he froze for a moment unsure at what he was staring at. One of his eyes, the turquoise one, seemed a bit off and seemed to be a bit lighter if not brighter somehow. Leaning closer, Shepard could just make out thin lines and dark edging around his pupil, while the pupil itself looked less natural, thin lines making sharp angles and even a mechanic edge to them. Shaking his head and almost jumping from his seat as he went straight to his bed, ignoring any thoughts from what he had just seen what might be happening to him. His emotions strained and energy almost out he collapsed into his bed to escape into the nightmares that had been plaguing him ever since Earth had been attacked. 

Face plates shifting, Legion was standing in front of the cabin’s door and with his sensory capabilities and honed hearing he had been able to hear if not sense Shepard’s movements inside of the cabin. The singular optic was tiny and widened as the machine’s processors struggled to come to a consensus and as the geth moved back and stepped back into the elevator it was only certain in doing research further. 

“Analysis of Shepard-Commander’s physical status requires more research. Presence of synthetic anomalies increased and human sensors have been unable to detect the proper amount. Analysis of Shepard-Commander’s actions and focused behaviors concerning this mobile platform. No data available. More research required to come to a consensus. May ask EDI for assistance in research.” Legion’s processors were in high confusion to the inability of detecting most of Shepard’s vitals and only picking up more intricate, nano-machine interference. A worrisome prospect for the humanity left within the human(?). Possibilities opened up and more votes were taken, different approaches were possible now and the geth platform began to eliminate them one by one. 

“Shepard-Commander’s probability of geth infusion. 20 percent.” Legion stepped off and headed for the AI core. This change of situations required more calculations Shepard’s transformation was…unprecedented if not intriguing and along with curiosity something else was being roused in the geth’s thought processors of more than just galactic but also somewhat personal possibilities for its core processors. A growingly synthetic Shepard could allow for migration of programs and data, a shared conscious could be possible if not beneficial with the data Shepard’s memories and actions held. A constant allowance of data…Briefly images of Shepard’s lean, sweating body tangled in sheets came to it’s thought processors, lined with the dabbling of machinery forming in Shepard’s body integration and blending would not be such a far off possibility.


	2. Chapter 2

Shepard woke with heavier feeling weighing in his mind than anything else. The day aboard the Normandy, assessing resources and trying to align forces was anything but a relief this day. Everything seemed a vicious blur and soon Shepard felt the weight of everything the lives depending on him, the planets and the whole galaxy was sitting on its hands watching everything he did. Staring at the galaxy map did little to ease my worries, red pinpricks only reminding what he had failed to protect in the times of dire need. Specialist Traynor could only look on at the forlorn, faraway look in Shepard’s eyes as she tried to keep her focus on her duties and nearly jumped out of her skin when the body EDI had taken over touched her shoulder. 

“Is Shepard in need of assistance? Conversation or interaction otherwise?” Traynor nodded slowly but didn’t say anything as the synthetic approached Shepard as they spoke for a brief moment before they headed to the elevator, seemingly to want to take the conversation elsewhere somewhere more private. Shepard had seemed more concerned today and withdrawn than any other day she could recall. Maybe conversation would help?

“What is on your mind, Commander Shepard?” EDI sat at one of the chairs in Shepard’s cabin as the tired, looking man dropped heavily into a chair. “I don’t know if I can take this, EDI. All this pressure and everyone watching my every move is breaking me down. I can feel it. Feel myself losing my damn mind over all of this. Hell, I’ve even felt different ever since Garrus turned me down…” EDI seemed a bit surprised at the last bit of the confession but offered a gentle touch to Shepard’s shoulder and it seemed to relax him even if just in the slightest. Leon seemed as though he would fall through his own skin and in a flash had pulled EDI into an embrace just to feel something moderately human in his being. 

“I don’t understand all these things happening to me so suddenly. Nothing feels right anymore, nothing feels…human.” Letting of the female AI was harder than Shepard would admit, having something against him even if it was a cold, mechanical body was something more than the empty feelings he’d been kept trapped on him like a mark refusing to leave his skin. “What did they do to me EDI? What did Cerberus to do me? What did Harbinger do to me? What has this war done to me? I just don’t understand!” Standing suddenly, a vicious high-pitched whine filled Leon’s hearing before he realized he had struck at the wall and put a decent hole in it. The pain in his chest was only dulled by the pain in his hand, it bled little but EDI was the only one to notice the slight sheen of something metallic in the blood that welled from the injured fist. 

“You are heavily troubled by your responsibilities, Shepard. I recommend you get some rest and find a way to relieve the turmoil inside of your mind. A stress-reliever or hobby as some would call it. First, let me tend to your wound before an infection sets in.” EDI took Shepard’s hand gently than he thought she could considering she didn’t have a sense of touch or nerves like organics did. “I have watched many vids and had many observations of natural human behaviors. Interactions with Jeff have increased my knowledge of proper reactions.” She answered the question puzzling in the Commander’s mind before he could ask it and Shepard decided not to push it as his shoulders sagged in the way only a defeated man’s could. 

EDI was puzzled by Shepard’s varying emotions at the moment but could comprehend from the behavior she could observe from crewmates and from Jeff but this intimate look into Shepard’s mindset was a bit…disturbing. Wars seemed to not only consume resources, lives and planets but also the very sanity of those trying to stem the tide. It seemed as if Shepard was fighting against a tsunami with nothing but a sword and the promise of a ship coming to save him with even that being a gaping uncertainty. EDI could understand on a note how the galaxy was hoping Shepard would save them like he had done twice before but this time it may not be as easy or even possible. How many times could a person save before they needed their own salvation? EDI stayed with Shepard as she attempted to restore some pleasantries as she ushered them to speak of more pleasant things and it seemed to work as Shepard’s mood improved considerably on something else to focus on. 

Hours passed before Shepard finally passed out from something akin to exhaustion and EDI helped the Commander onto his bed as his eyes slid closed as soon as his body made contact with the firm mattress. Taking a moment, EDI watched Shepard as he slept, noticing even in the sliver of sweat that peppered across his skin there was a metallic sheen. Even the faintest of the scars gleamed in the slightest from the nanomachines working frantically under the surface of Shepard’s skin and throughout his body. Was it restoring his humanity or replacing it with something stronger? EDI needed time to process these new developments and left quietly only able to see Shepard’s shadow against the bed from the doorway. She was concerned and these new developments only gave her more reason to be so. 

~~~~~~~~~~~[Slight Smut]~~~~~~~~

Shepard attempted to rest easy but the image of the singular optic glowing brightly only stirred his body from sleep into a ravenous arousal. The pain was obvious in Shepard’s motions and movements were only as painful as it was sudden. The older was bucking and squirming feverishly before he had time to mourn the encroaching loss of his sanity. Eyes shut tightly against the dark surroundings. He felt his mind fading as cold steel slid across his burning flesh. Moans only made his flesh dance under the touch, no matter how brief or sudden even if it was his imagination. His mind even conjured the soft, mechanical whirring sounds he came to enjoy so much, he could already see the cool metal digits drawing over his skin raising pinpricks of pleasure as it went. Could feel the hair thin fibers and cables that made the shape of the three-fingered hand bumping over his stomach and ghosting across his thighs. Shepard arched harder against his bed, moaning loudly at the touches and felt his stomach tighten he could almost see the burning, blue light shining on him knowing that Legion was watching…Memorizing his body and thinking of it…A cool touch grazed the tip of his cock as he gasped, jerking his hips and arched as a secondary touch appeared lower on his thigh, close to the junction. Hissing at the cold touch of metal wrapping around his cock, he still couldn’t stop his hips from rolling into the tight grip wanting more of it to cool the fire tingling from his thighs and gathering in his groin. The grip suddenly tightened and moved faster, jerking and squeezing as Shepard stiffened before crying out as he pumped his hips harder crying out hoarsely when a curious pressure on his softer skin pressed harder pushing inside of him.

~~~~~~[End of Slight Smut]~~~~~~~

“Oh god! LEGION!” Shepard screamed as he arched hard at the rush of pressure, pleasure and pain burning across his skin, it was met against a stark cold barrier in front of him. Shepard’s eyes snapped open as he met a bright, burning light bathing over him before his lustful scream whirled down into a quiet whimper as his body relaxed before limping into unconsciousness. Unaware of the mechanical body above him withdrawing his hands and curiously looking at the thick, white liquid on one of its hands before looking back at Shepard’s sleeping body. Legion’s face plates moved in its contemplation and rapid discussions among the many platforms combined in the mobile unit before the geth moved off of the bed and drew its other hand along Shepard’s body, gauging the reaction as light sparks followed the path of its hand. Pulling back the geth’s singular optic widened and shrank considerably before the geth turned and left the room. Still stuck in a various modes of consensus and confusion among the platforms that felt Shepard’s newest developments were not just mentally but physical as well. Leaving Shepard’s room the geth went back to the AI core it was so familiar with only to find EDI waiting for him as her mobile platform sat on the berth in the room.

“We have concluded Shepard-Commander is lacking in inefficient human response but has grown in synthetic reaction and function.” Legion spoke clearly over the slight static in its voice as EDI stood to face it, “Shepard’s nano-machinery has taken on an advanced cycle of replacing human organs and tissue with synthetic ones. Breaking down what is making him human and turning him into a synthetic.” Legion was silent for a moment, face plates shifting before he made almost a shrug, a human gesture. “Shepard-Commander is no longer human?” Legion asked as EDI took a sharp nod, “No longer human enough to be considered human. Both organic and synthetic functions in his body have merged making it impossible to tell one from another. Exposure to Reapers may lead to Shepard becoming indoctrinated as the geth were with his mind now being vulnerable to a larger frequency.” Legion glanced down briefly at the large hole in his chest plates and then at the N7 armor still embedded on his shoulder before it came to a decision. 

“We will not fail Shepard.” And for a moment, the white optic flashed a bright red.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anddd another chapter! I'll get back to working on my main ones soon I promise but I have these chapters ready to go so get ready for some feels! Also, yeah there's a little OOC going on here but I try to keep it as little as possible.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> his chapter will be pretty long! It will explain more of Shepard’s state of mind and Legion’s motivations for doing what he is doing. I’ll try to keep all the characters as themselves as much as I can but I’ll probably deviate a little from their perspectives but don’t hate me for it! I’ll throw in a little bit of smut but not too much! I want to dedicate a whole chapter to the romance bits! This will focus somewhat on the other crew members and their point of views. 
> 
> I hope to stretch this to two more chapters but fingers crossed! Please leave reviews and lots of love! Would appreciate it and it would make me so happy! Also it may encourage me to leave chapters more frequently! Also if you’d like to see a continuation of this series, possible an arc or maybe branching off into another pairing just leave a suggestion and I’ll think about it! 
> 
> Once more this is based off of Mass Effect 3 and does include some itty bitty spoilers but if you don’t look hard you won’t see them! This is Legion/Shepard(M) with maybe some tiny bits of other pairings in here but nothing too serious unless you request it! Remember reviews make me happy!  
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“The mission is to go into the base and find a way to redirect the geth fighters correct?” Shepard stood in the war room with the quarian admirals and Legion, whose presence seemed to make the quarians uncomfortable. Admiral Xen seemed mostly curious instead of horrified or angered at the prospect of a geth standing near her. Legion was standing far off mostly on Shepard’s side, wary of the quarians and still not completely understanding why they had put Shepard’s life at risk to take down the dreadnought. 

“Yes, once inside we will be able to disable the fighters from attacking the Creator’s lifeships.” Legion spoke as he nodded his head slightly and was using his hands as emphasis, a human behavior he must have picked up from the crew. The geth even seemed to unconsciously draw its hand over the armor donning its shoulder before glancing at the large hole in its chest plates while the quarians spoke to each other of the plan. Shepard noticed this odd, human kind of unconscious gesture but put it in the back of his mind. So what Legion seemed to picking up some human gestures? EDI was also but seeing Legion do it…made Shepard more uneasy than when the female AI was. 

Shepard nodded slowly, “Alright, I’ll take a small team with me, including Legion and be prepared to pull your people back once the fighters have been disabled. No more needless fighting unless your lives depend on it. You’ll get your home back on your planet but only if you are willing to listen.” He sharply met eyes with the quarians to show he was serious. He would not have a repeat of when one of the admirals were firing on a ship he was still on.

The quarians seemed skeptical, “Shepard-Commander is correct, logical reason is the only way to achieve peace and certainty of a homeland.” Everyone looked at the geth curiously and were silent before Shepard smiled slightly, “Thank you, Legion.” The geth wasn’t sure how to respond and looked at its hands briefly distracted as he brought them together, puzzling over the data it had received from Shepard the very few nights before. The reactions of skin against his sensors, electricity sparking through his systems and the overheating of his processors was nothing short of strange if not dangerous but it had been as humans called it…pleasure. It made Legion puzzle over a statement it had recorded in its memories. Their bodies are artificial but their emotions and lives are not. For a moment, Legion had felt something with his sensors against the Commander’s skin and pushing those sensors inside of the human had only furthered the sparking of his systems. It had felt alarm when the Commander had reached his peak but felt only curiosity at the mechanical gleam in his eyes and the synthetic pulse of small, unseen machinery working diligently under his still-human flesh given time Shepard would no longer have that either. It had been simply chance the commander hadn’t realized what was going on and who exactly he was engaging with. Legion was infinitely curious as to why Shepard was imagining himself as the initiator in intimate thought processing. The nano-machines first implanted by the Illusive Man but then advanced by Harbinger had only made the impossible something inevitable for the human savior of the galaxy. Legion puzzled if it could on-

“Legion? Are you there?” A sudden wave of color jolted Legion back to the current situation as everyone was staring at the geth curiously before its face plates flailed wildly before calming down, “We were in consensus and reviewing data. What is required of us?” Satisfied that Legion was still functioning Shepard put a hand on the geth’s shoulder, a strange humming tingle shot up the Commander’s arm and he pulled his hand back before he realized it as he looked at Legion then his hand curiously before putting it down.

“Go and get ready to head to the base we’ll have to move quickly. In and out.” Using a quick slash of a hand gesture Shepard focused on Legion’s single optic as chills danced along his spine, masking the strange pleasure of starring at the geth he tore his gaze away to look back toward the quarians and finish talking with them about their plans. Legion noticed the look in the commander’s eyes as he silently nodded and headed toward the shuttle to prepare for what would happen. Sometimes plans must be adjusted when the outcome is varied and Legion’s processors calculated an outcome far from what both the quarians and Shepard himself could ever plan for. The impossible would be plausible.

With Tali and Javik, a resurrected Prothean, close behind Shepard was making his way to the geth server. Legion giving directions via headset, it felt strange to have that mechanical voice almost whispering in his ear. Shuddering at the intimate thought it brought up Shepard forced it down as they encountered only mild geth resistance and when they did it was strange. The geth wouldn’t fire at Shepard but focused their fire on his two allies, also putting away the sense of growing doubt in his mind they pressed on. The geth base was intricate and strictly functional as always, geth having no appreciation for artistic or aesthetic value but even in the simple designs Shepard was seeing some mild variation. The curves of cables and shifts of mechanical components seemed to waver, if not dance with the jolts of electricity going through them. A simple change but still it disturbed Shepard that he could notice it and that it was happening. As he moved through a doorway, he turned just in time to see it shutting before his allies could make it through. Cursing under his breathe, Shepard tried to hack the door to get it to open back up and Tali tried the same from the other side.

“Damn the door isn’t budging. It must have picked up our organic traces and automatically shut down before we get through! Go on without us Shepard, I’ll get the door open and we’ll catch up!” Tali called from the other side of the door and Javik murmured something in his own language. “Alright, but hurry up will you? I don’t like being in this place I feel like I’m being watched though it’s probably just the silence getting to me.” Hearing Tali’s reassurance only soothed Shepard little, loading up his shotgun he left them behind to figure out how to get through. If only he had known what would have happened he might have never left them there.

“Legion? Do you copy?” Static was the only thing that answered as Shepard angrily threw his headset down and continued hurriedly down the hall without it. Ducking, running and checking endless halls started to eat the commander’s mind. Every wall and barricade started to look the same until a corner opened into an expanse room that seemed to stretch out for eons. Lights were dim and very few in the room, geth having no need for light fixtures since they could simply switch their optics to night vision or have it adjusted properly. Shepard was slightly disturbed he wasn’t having trouble adjusting to the almost pitch black area. Putting away his pistol and noticing a rise in the middle of the room. Glancing around Shepard didn’t see anyone around and nothing but the strange pool of liquid rippling in front of him a loud snapping sound was heard before the circular shape shifted as the surrounding frame baring a close resemblance to a spider web pulled a film of the blue substance upward so it was facing Shepard. Uncomfortable at the fact the machine was doing something and not being clear exactly what it was but the whole room felt…strange. Would anything else happen?

“Shepard-Commander,” Shepard almost leapt out of his skin at the sound of the geth’s voice and even relaxed a bit as he turned to face Legion, “I was worried about…you.” Legion stood there with two larger geth, both primes, on either side of it. “Legion what’s going on?” The geth primes stepped forward as Legion stepped sideways as a large console opened up from the smooth wall and spread out before the geth as his hands moved over the console. “We are preparing to merge Shepard-Commander into our consciousness.” Shepard completely froze at those words and for a moment forgot the large geth now flanking him on either side. 

“What? How?” Shock slowed his reaction as the geth snatched the pistol from his hand and quickly twisted his arms behind his back forcing him to his knees. Grunting at the sudden shift, he strained against the agony licking up his arms and biting into his neck to keep his focus on Legion who still bore down on him with that bright eye of light. “That’s not even possible! If you’ve forgotten I’m not a machine!” Shepard’s face contorted with mixed emotions of anger, disbelief and slivers of hurt at Legion’s sudden shift of activity. Had Legion been corrupted by the Reapers? Were they controlling him and making him do these things? Something ached in Shepard’s chest as he thought about that. If Legion had been taken how could he save others? Why did it affect him so deeply to think of the geth taken away from him and enthralled in the Reaper’s power? Shepard let his head hang as he closed his eyes, hoping for a moment it was a simple nightmare that he hadn’t woken up from yet. 

“Shepard…” Ice cold metal brushed the worn Commander’s cheek as the gentle humming of machinery brought eyes hazed with emotion to the dimly shinning optic honing onto him combined with Legion’s gentle touch it could almost be seen as a gesture of…comfort. Shepard felt warm.

“We are only considering your safest options. We do not wish to see you fall in meaningless battle. Our functioning would slow by eighty-six percent if Shepard-Commander were to be eliminated by the Old Machines.” Shepard felt shivers trailing down his spine at those words though painfully mechanical they held something to them. Something human. The geth’s fingers were cold and smooth as they held Shepard’s face, tilting them up to the singular eye of light focusing on scarred features that bled into turquoise and cerulean orbs begging for an answer, for salvation even. Legion could see the intensity bleeding from those eyes and briefly for a moment, it wished for eyes of its own to gaze back. Shepard was puzzled as Legion tilted his head and leaned close, cold metal resting against his forehead. He felt confused but comforted at the simple gesture, even as he closed his eyes leaning into the contact he didn’t notice the larger geth easing their grip on his arms. Cold metal slipped around Shepard’s waist and pulled him close to the mechanical body that had lowered itself to his level. Eyes still closed Legion brought their bodies close arms both mechanical and flesh wrapped around each other. 

“Legion,” Shepard’s voice was slightly pained as hair thin cables slid under his skin as they came from everywhere. Some emerged from Legion, sprouting from his own body and burrowing into Shepard’s. “The pain will be minimal but we will merge with you, Shepard.” Slivers of fear burned in Shepard’s chest as he wrapped his arms around Legion’s neck as the geth’s head slid against his neck, “You’re calling me Shepard, Legion. Am I no longer your Commander?” As careful touches grazed Shepard’s back the geth holding him close hummed with the shifting of its face plates. 

“Affirmative. Shepard is no longer our Commander. You will be more than us. Our Shepard that will guide his flock.” Legion nuzzled his head easily sliding over his shoulder as a mass of cables of varying sizes began to curl around the man allowing it to happen. Shepard let his head fall back as his gaze landed on the arched ceiling above them the point where it all came together too hard to see. “I’m afraid, Legion. I don’t understand what is happening or why it is happening to me at all. Why am I letting this happen?” Shepard felt it was all just a strange dream and eventually it would all come to head but for now he felt a strange ease with it all. 

“Your body has been altered what was once human is no longer human. Synthetic blood, organs and even the flesh over your bones is laced with machines even to the fibrous tissue in your muscles. All slowly becoming mechanical and you would eventually become like us. Synthetic but still possessing your thoughts, emotions you would still be you.” Legion’s voice was softer somehow thought it sounded the same as it always was. Shepard was silent for a moment, the slithering sound of cables drew his attention as he sighed leaning against the geth’s body, “How will this work then and what plan did you have in mind?” Legion had his arms loose around Shepard’s body, holding him at a measured grip not wanting to crush the body against him.

“We will be gentle, Shepard. To fully integrate we must merge with your system. It is still partially organic and will require direct contact to jump start the process of mechanization.” Shepard sighed a bit, “In English, Legion.” A brief whirring noise was heard, “We must initiate copulation to blend with Shepard’s system and encourage the process of your body becoming more mechanical, more synthetic.” There was silence for a moment as Shepard reluctantly pulled back to face Legion’s optic eye as the light flexed a bit, “Copulation? How would that be possible?” Legion tilted his head downward similar to a downcast motion of embarrassment, “We have prepared adequately, Shepard.” A smile twitched at Shepard’s lips as he chuckled a bit and noticed as his hand was resting on Legion’s arm; lights flickered from under the commander’s skin as Legion’s own arm flickered in response. Shepard felt a sense of disbelief but it was a far cry from what he would have felt even a day ago. It did somewhat explain his attraction to Legion, especially with how sudden and merciless it was on his system but Shepard couldn’t help but feel some amount of amusement at the strange nature of it. 

The large geth surrounding them simply watched on memorizing what they were seeing and placing it in a secure area in their memory. A sudden alert had the geth arming themselves and Legion stood quickly as Shepard didn’t resist as cables wrapped around his body, restraining him loosely if at all. Curiously, Shepard noticed he wasn’t wearing his hair band anymore feeling the itchy brush of hair on his neck and was able to see between the large, red geth the shapes of his squad mates, Tali and Javik. They must have gotten through the doors. Legion was close by Shepard’s side and he noted, with some curiosity, it was holding his silver colored hairband. 

“SHEPARD!” Shepard turned his head to see Tali reaching out, looking for something to hold. Even through the helmet her eyes were wide and even slightly crazed as a barrier pushed her back, the geth not firing but aimed and ready to do so. Legion stood as he stepped toward them optic shifting from wide to small. “Shepard-Commander is no longer a query for you, Creator Tali. We have found another way.” Shepard felt detached toward the quarian as she protested loudly what Legion was doing but despite it the commander couldn’t deny the loss of feeling toward everything. 

“What are you talking about Legion? Let Shepard go!” Shepard turned his head, unable to keep his gaze on Tali and somewhat afraid of what she might see if she looked close enough. If she would see what he had seen only yesterday morning, the hair thin wires and miniscule mechanics adjusting his vision in his eye. The natural expansion of his pupil had become something mechanical, synthetic movement as wires would pull and things shifting to allow sharper vision it was also the reason he could see so clearly in the dim room. Would she understand? Would they, his crew and fellow war-hardened people understand the changes in their commander prevented him from fighting the battle as he was used to? That Shepard himself was also now vulnerable to the bittersweet calling of the Reapers, of Harbinger who had promised the taking of the Commander.

“Shepard-Commander is vulnerable to the Reapers. Synthetic receptors in his body are not used to blocking the strong signals. Indoctrination, corruption would be inevitable with the consistency of Reaper contact.” Legion stood over Shepard protectively it seemed as did the geth surrounding them. “We do not wish to harm anyone, Creator Tali’zorah. We only wish to initiate procedures to protect Shepard-Commander’s existence and the halting of Reapers upon organics. We will keep communications open.” The large, red geths moved backwards forming a tighter circle around Shepard and Legion as smooth walls slid up forming a pod locking Tali and Javik out. Tali desperately pounded on the thick coverings as she growled to herself and pulled back, “Come on we have to get out of here!” Javik hurriedly followed her as the pod slid down into the ground as it opened up as thrusters started up and it shot through the sky. The two left behind squad mates quickly retreated to the Normandy as the geth base was no longer a target and they focused on the pod as it had quickly left the atmosphere.

“EDI follow that pod! Shepard is onboard it with Legion holding him captured! We need to save Shepard!” The Normandy pinpointed the pod but waited until it was stationary it moved far too fast as a small object and to not draw attention to it they had to stay back. The quarians were not as careful at sparing Shepard’s life as they were eager to simply shoot it down and kill Legion.

Shepard no longer being in commission, Kaidan was forced to take over as Commander for the ship until or if Shepard was saved his position would be restored. Kaidan was with Joker and EDI in the pilot’s flight deck, pacing back and forth he was clearly irritated by the whole situation. Kaidan wasn’t happy with the situation with Shepard gone how would they continue their mission? Who would bring the rest of the species together? He knew he couldn’t he was just a soldier not a peacemaker or level-headed man like Shepard was. Self-sacrifice ran deep but in Shepard it was almost genetic. He was damn near biting through his lip as he stood behind Joker’s chair sighing hard as he thought about the situation, his head began to throb from the onslaught of things going wrong.

“Calm down before you burst a vessel, Kaidan.” Joker’s voice was somewhat of relief it wasn’t chiding him for every little thought he had. The dark haired man was in no mood for the pilot’s usual comments, “Shut up, Joker I’m not in the mood for your comments. Shepard was taken by the geth and if we don’t get him back the whole damn galaxy might be at stake! I’m a bit on edge if you didn’t notice!” He hadn’t meant to snap but he wished the pilot would seem serious about something for once. Silence dropped heavily around them and tension was thick as just the small sounds of machinery were in the air.

“Legion will not harm the Commander. I believe the exact opposite is his plan and we should not take this too harshly.” EDI’s voice shattered whatever could have been building in the atmosphere of the flight deck and she was met with two pairs of eyes looking at her curiously before giving them both a side long glance. “Legion shared his data for outside consensus with me and I did not see a wrong in his plans. It would be wrong to betray confidentiality and speak of it since it may ruin any chance of keeping Shepard alive.” She was still doing her job of configuring the weapons and checking the systems. Both men were looking at her in shocked silence and Kaidan’s voice was the first to explode, “You KNEW about this?!” EDI simply nodded as if he hadn’t yelled it at her, “Yes I did.” Joker glared at Kaidan for raising his voice at EDI, “Don’t talk to her that way if she didn’t say anything she has good reason.” Kaidan snapped his head back to Joker at his response, “What? You’re defending this thing?! She’s not even human! And she conspired with that geth to kidnap Shepard! Who the hell are you rooting for, Joker?!” The argument continued escalating back and forth before Kaidan was forced to leave the flight deck to prevent anyone from getting hurt and Joker was fire hot from arguing with the biotic.

“I can’t believe he would say that! After all I’ve been through with Shepard and then he goes harping on you!” EDI looked at Joker calmly and waited until he managed to calm down a little bit. “Jeff, it’s alright. I’m not human and I may have been in the wrong to not explain Legion’s plan but it is for the best for all of us, especially Shepard. Ever since before the Collector’s base he has been…forlorn and distant if he were to keep on in that state of mind he would not survive to bring the species together. His mental state has been very fragile and though his exterior attitude is mild, internally he seemed to be battling something. A large distraction like that would hinder his abilities and put the galaxy at risk. His judgment would have been clouded severely and his drive significantly lowered.” She said as she looked back at her screen and pulled up some vids of proof of Shepard’s detoriating condition. Some vids showed Shepard in his room and shirtless just staring at his scars, old pictures and bursting into silent tears. 

A view into the broken causes behind the strong man’s defense it almost seemed rude to see such private moments. Another showed when he had talk with Garrus, a ray of hope but it was dashed quickly as the conversation turned to Shepard’s uneasy confession of attraction for the turian who turned him down and a heart-broken Shepard who was left to mourn the death of a relationship before it could flourish. It had only hurt the light haired man worse because they had been so close and had even courted each other a bit with flirts or gestures. An old video back when they were fighting tooth and nail against Collectors it was hard to imagine that it was only a year to six months ago. EDI even showed Joker emails that Shepard had received of various hate mail and death threats for all his efforts, of families begging to have their relative saved or people begging to be saved from their imminent deaths. There were even vids of people screaming as they tried to send messages while being taken or attacked by Collectors or raiders desperate to save themselves. Some even more short vids were of the Commander tending to his own wounds, blasts from guns and flying shrapnel left wounds painfully deep or marring. 

“How did Shepard manage to put up with all of this and still remain standing? Seeing those vids and reading those messages must have been…excoriating along with his advances being shot down? Damn the man must be made of element zero.” Joker felt a bit of the Commander’s pain knowing what it was like to go through something alone and not able to fully have someone understand him. Giving a side long glance to EDI and her newly acquired body he was happy to think he didn’t have to experience that anymore but Shepard always held the brunt of the pressure put on them, always having to save people and be the hero, to make sacrifices that other people wouldn’t to make sure others lived another day. Joker knew he would never be able to handle the pressure of saving the galaxy not once or twice but now three times it took a certain kind of person to handle something like that and from what he had seen not many were around in these lifetimes. 

“Legion formulated a plan to relieve the stress on Shepard but it must be done in secrecy to what it may be exactly. Shepard will return do not fret, Jeff. Legion is geth but he is not heartless as others would put it. Though in a literal sense it is true but even we synthetics have feelings or sensory emotions. Many forget AIs can adapt.” Her face brightened a bit as she looked at Joker and gave him a smile before reaching over and touching the Normandy pilot’s hand. “It will be alright.” Joker couldn’t help but believe her when she said it like that and with that face with those gray eyes looking at him. “I’d never doubt you.” He squeezed her hand uplifted as he felt the cool metal tightening around his fingers. 

“I would never betray your trust, Jeff. You are…important to me.” EDI’s voice lightened the mood between the two as they glanced at each other before watching the galaxy’s many stars spread out in front of them looking like the wishes of many instead of formless stars. For a moment, they looked like beacons of…hope.


	4. Chapter 4

“How could they do this? Shepard needs to be saved not us sitting around wasting time like this!” Kaidan’s fury hadn’t subsided in the least as he now was talking with Garrus, Javik and Tali were leaning nearby on the wall listening to the man vent at them. “It doesn’t make any sense why would Legion betray us like this?!” Most were silent as James stepped forward his arms crossed sharply across his chest. 

“I don’t like it any more than you do but calm down. I’m sure Legion has a plan he’s telling us about he’s not one to just flip the script.” Garrus’s voice was cool and collected as usual as he stepped forward toward the angry biotic. “Stomping around and yelling won’t do anything but put us all in a foul mood. We clear heads and a plan,” he said as he stepped in front of Kaidan’s pacing to stop the man from running himself into somewhat of a frenzy. 

The biotic snapped his head around and pushed the turian, “Don’t give me that crap. Shepard is in the hands of some damn synthetic and all you can tell me to do is cool down?! Bullshit!” Kaidan left the small room with them in it still steamed but not quite as much as he had been at Joker and EDI. He couldn’t believe everyone was being so calm about it, acting like it was alright for Shepard to be missing from right under their noses. Had they all gone blind?

Garrus sighed heavily and looked toward the other two as the visor gleamed a bit, “I hope Legion knows what he’s doing. I’d rather not shoot him out of the sky. Now if we could just get Kaidan to calm down I think we’ll be fine.” The turian’s mandibles flexed a bit as he spoke and while he thought lightly before leaning on the wall next to Tali. 

He looked at her concerned and tilted his head, “You alright? You seem to be lost in your thoughts and rather quiet.” The quarian was jolted out of her thoughts by the gentle touch of the turian next to her and she nodded slowly as she leaned on his side. “I still don’t understand what Legion said before they took off. It’s just not like Legion to do something like that or for Shepard to not even try to escape.” Tali was trying to think and was reassured as Garrus put his arm around her hip holding her close as he leaned his head against hers. 

“I’m sure things will work out but we need to sit and think on it first. We rush in and all we’ll do is make everything worse.” Tali nodded in agreement as Garrus took her hand and they walked out leaving the Prothean standing in the room by himself. All of his eyes were closed as he opened them slowly and shook it a bit, “Are all species so blind? Too caught up in their own emotions to see what is in front of them it is almost painful to watch.” Moving easily in his heavy, red armor he watched the couple leave before shaking his head slowly as he headed toward the elevator and headed toward the top level. Shepard’s quarters. 

Stepping out of the elevator and taking his time going inside of Shepard’s cabin he could already feel the heavy air of negative emotions that had been infecting their leader. He almost had no need to pick up the energies left in the room to know what had transpired but nonetheless as he knelt he prepared himself for the vicious onslaught of intimate detail he would receive. As soon as his skin even grazed the cold steel of the cabin, he was floored by the flood of pheromones, actions and even thoughts that had poured of out Shepard’s mind or body. 

“So much pain and confusion it is amazing he was able to keep his composure with all this chaos going on in his mind. There has been others here with Shepard both of the synthetics and one was close…very close. The energies are not fully human even for Shepard. Troubling.” Javik stood back up and looked around the room, almost like he was seeing it for the first time and left quiet in his musings on the situation that nobody really seemed to have a good understanding.   
The Prothean’s thoughts mused on how all of it would affect the overall mission at hand and how the others would handle it. He would just wait and see.

Shepard was unconscious, having been knocked out from the sudden shift of being stationary to being shot into space and was now in a cabin that had been prepared for him. Legion was close by looking over reports, keeping sensors at their peak as they kept close tabs on all of the surrounding ships. After having taken off from the geth server on Rannoch, the pod had docked onto a geth flagship which was larger than their standard dreadnoughts and housed many geth consensuses that did not yet have a mobile platform it was guarded heavily by other geth fighter ships. 

At the moment, tiny hair thin wires had snaked under Shepard’s flesh and had begun actively communicating with the nano machines in his body Legion was using the connection to prepare for intergration. Layers of flesh had already started to harden and give off the metallic sheen, some strips of flesh lining Shepard’s body had already changed. The process of mechanization was speeding up but it was still having some problems.

“Legion?” Shepard’s voice was caked with tiredness as the man rolled onto his side feeling increasingly off-balanced and exhausted as he managed to pull himself to a sitting up position. The geth finished what he was doing quickly and moved to Shepard’s side as it sat at his bedside. 

Light colored eyes were increasingly unfocused and seemed to struggle to even take in the light form the geth’s singular optic. Shepard was increasingly unsteady and Legion quickly caught Shepard as his body limped, falling back out of consciousness. It took a few more hours before Shepard was able to become fully conscious and aware as he sat on the bed watching Legion as the geth was preparing to explain in detail what would happen to him.

“Shepard it would not be a painless process, we would aid in making less painful with our own system cushioning your own. It will be chaotic at first but would soon calm down especially with our own system there to aid yours in making a stable, functioning structure.” Legion was standing close to Shepard, who was watching him intently with his mis-matched gaze and pondering over what he was being told.

“How long would it take? For my mind to adjust becoming a system?” Shepard wasn’t sure how to think like that but he thought he soon would know how.

“It would take 30 hours maximum and with full processing power. Our mobile platforms would have to remain in close proximity to assure proper communications and support.” Shepard’s curiosity was peaked at that last part of Legion’s statement, “Remain close? I thought geth could switch into any system as long as they were in reasonable range.” Legion was silent for a long moment, “Affirmative. We would wish to remain close to Shepard during this process.” 

Shepard smiled a bit and touched the geth’s arm watching as sparks flickered from the small contact, “If you want to stay with me then that is alright. I’m sure I would really appreciate the company.” Legion moved closer, sliding its arms around Shepard’s body in a seemingly attempt of an embrace similar to the one in the pod back on Rannoch. Even down to the cool metal pressing against Shepard’s neck as he slid into it, “Where did you pick this up from? This embrace?” Legion’s system spike from the electrical discharge lining Shepard’s skin from the reactive nanobots just teeming underneath. 

“We have seen Creator Tali being encountered by Vakarian in this way and it expressed feelings of intimacy. We wished to give you the same feeling of comfort, Shepard.” Shepard’s face winced at the mention of Garrus embracing Tali the same way but he wavered a bit hearing how Legion was trying to mimick the emotion behind it. Legion was attempting an emotional connection instead of just a simple motion it surprised Shepard a bit knowing that.  
“It’s nice to know someone is looking out for my mental state,” he chuckled a bit at it and turned his head nuzzling the metallic face plates grateful for the closeness Legion was trying to establish between them. Sparks of electric charge caused the geth to hold him closer, tighter and Shepard found himself at a loss of words or what to do. 

“I wouldn’t want to intergrate with anyone else, Legion.” He attempted to compliment Legion as he leaned into the embrace, it was nice and even comforting to have something care for more than what he could do.   
“We are humbled, Shepard and appreciative of your willingness to intergrate with us. We will be gentle…Leon.” Shivers ran down Shepard’s spine at the geth using his first name, no one had used it in so long it impacted the commander as he held on tighter. Legion shifted as he felt gentle pattering on the top of his face plates and pulling back he saw Shepard’s face was streaming with tears. The geth was unable to process what it should say and simply let the light haired man look away as the drops fell, even they gleamed with the shine of nanobots. 

It seemed strange Shepard wasn’t making a sound but tears were escaping rapidly from his face and Legion could think of nothing else but to attempt comforting the man again as it opened its arms. Shepard looked shock at the gesture but accepted it as he moved against the geth’s chest, being careful to avoid the large hole in its chest.

“We will always remember you Leon. If anything were to happen to this platform our memories will always remember you and how you gave us a chance at life.” Shepard looked up into the geth’s singular optic and in the haze of his own conflicting feelings he could see something in the geth’s gestures. A gentle caring hint to even its barest motions it was treating Shepard as something precious it had been a long time since Leon Shepard had felt anyone or anything as something other than a soldier. He had always been someone to be followed, to be listened to or to be commanded but never as someone to be loved. 

“I’m ready, Legion. Some things still remain unclear but as long as you’re with me on this it’s alright.” Shepard let himself smile a little bit as he pulled out of Legion’s arms and slid off the bed to stand. “The galaxy is in turmoil and it needs me at more than my best. I trust you, Legion and believe you wouldn’t betray me.” The geth gazed at Shepard’s back, processors sensing emotion under Shepard’s voice, causing it to shake but sound sure of itself. It felt…a lightening of its processors a sense of happiness it could recall organics calling it. 

“We will not betray your trust in us, Shepard.” Legion moved to stand behind Shepard and wrapped its arms around his waist, pulling them close as its head easily fit against Shepard’s shoulder. Shepard put his hands over the geth’s arms sparks lighting erratically over the contact of synthetic charges. 

“We will…treasure the moments. Engaging…foreplay. Initiating contact.” Shepard closed his eyes, hissing at the fingers gently picking at his clothes and sliding over his sides even as he felt the geth pressing closer against his back. Reaching back, Shepard let his fingers trail over the curve of the geth’s face plates and head as it led to a strong frame branching into smooth plates covering the geth’s structure. A deep, rumbling sound from Legion’s sensors filled Shepard’s ears as he leaned his cheek against the cool plates still in the geth’s concentration of examining how best to handle Shepard’s body, the soft and yielding flesh could be so fragile. 

“We ask you to remove your clothing, Leon.” Legion noticed how Shepard shuddered at his name being used in such an intimate manner as he pulled away to turn and face Legion as he couldn’t look at the geth showing a rare display of shyness. Taking a deep breath, Shepard ran his fingers over the many zippers and buckles keeping his leather suit in place it seemed much harder with the geth watching his every move. Pulling the thick leather from his skin seemed to make him feel better as he pushed the leather off his shoulders and to his hips before Legion reached forward putting his hands over Shepard’s. 

The man looked at Legion curiously already his breath was labored and mused as he took his own hands away letting the geth pull off the rest of the outfit letting one hand rest on a scarred thigh, marveling at the variety of battle marks there. Legion noticed some of the scars had been sealed with a metallic, flexible synthetic material not unlike human skin but more…reactive. Curiously, the geth touched the metallic strip and pleasure tore through Shepard as he gasped loudly as he gripped Legion’s shoulder tightly in response. 

The geth’s processors whirled noisily as electricity jumped his systems and elicited a pleasurable surge through his many programs causing a reaction press against the strip harder. Shepard collapsed against the wall panting as he moaned at the shivers running up and down his spine as he whimpered at the licks in his belly before pushing at Legion’s hand and threw his head back moaning at the long strokes against it.

Shepard’s body was shaking with the onslaught of pleasure sparking from that simple touch as he growled a bit legs still trapped in his own clothes and was leaning into the touch before pulling back. Legion snapped out of his blissful teasing to meet Shepard’s heated gaze glancing at the leather binding his legs as the geth reluctantly pulled his hand from the strip to yank them off in a single pull. Shepard stiffened at the stark contact of ice cold metal against his hips and kicking the clothes away he stood much to the geth’s apparent chargin. 

“Calm down, Legion. Let’s move to the bed the wall is really not the best place.” The synthetic pulled itself close to Shepard as electricity jolted between them causing Shepard to hold onto the synthetic that much tighter as his muscles contracted from a sweet agony of it. Legion’s fingers dug harder enough to Shepard’s sides to cause bruises as the man only hummed at the combination of pain and pleasure from the licks of energy. Pulling away briefly, Shepard climbed onto the bed and was surprised to see it reacting to him as waves of light eclipsed the sheet.

“The bed is synthetic also and will aid in the integration of our bodies by bombarding you with constant energy and frequency waves. After a strong connection is established we will give you some of us to support your system. In essence, we will be part of you aiding you always.” Legion spoke and carefully climbed onto the bed trying to avoid catching any cloth in his joints. Shepard hummed pleasantly as he listened to what the geth was saying as he trailed his fingers along the smooth curve of its face plates and head crackling electricity in his wake.

“You said you were prepared? How will we be establishing this connection?” Shepard asked curiously noting Legion’s lack of…certain parts would indeed make it impossible for them to engage in intercourse. Legion tilted his head up from its place on Shepard’s thigh to reach up tapping the side of the bed as a hidden drawer slid open. Shepard raised a brow at the implement Legion held up, it had the vague shape of a male appendage but it was composed of cables and wires with a thin, slick covering over it. Shepard was mostly drawn by the fact the cables and wires were squirming, glinting a vague light blue. Shepard was embarrassed at his thoughts of it seeming erotically ethereal and alive as cables bulged against the thin barrier containing it.

“It’s…moving.” Shepard spoke in mild awe as he reached forward to touch it as Legion pulled it back, “Even simple contact will activate it’s function to connect with your internal connections. We wish to finish foreplay before engaging. Do you wish for us to install this component now?” Nodding at the geth, Legion watched Shepard for a long moment taking in the perspiring skin, labored breathes and eyes hazed with pleasure from the simple touches they had shared. 

“Acknowledged.” Legion pulled back as cables slid from the plates connecting over the area where his groin would be if he had been organic. As soon as the squirming appendage came close enough to the connecting cables it was secured almost instantly as it glowed brighter and Shepard’s body reacted almost as soon as it had been attached. An electric charge leapt across Shepard’s skin making his hair stand on edge and the man stiffen with ecstasy at the charges running over him as he cried out jerking at the sensation. Legion watched enrapt at the way electricity charged Shepard’s skin, crackling across it like a whip and stimulating his nerves, lighting up the man in a way even the geth could appreciate.

“Shepard…you are beautiful…” Metallic hands surged with a bright green energy as soon as it made contact with the energy dancing over Shepard’s skin the man screamed in ecstasy as Legion’s frame trembled at the energy overriding his system before pulling back needing a moment to recover from the electricity burning across his processors as Shepard was breathing hard, his body high on the pulses that set his senses on fire and soft sounds escaped him as a cool touch began to gently tug his black shorts from his hips. The last bit of clothing disappeared over the edge of the bed as Shepard laid there still unable to catch his breath as his eyes slid open, brighter than they had been before and streams of light danced across his chest reacting to the sheets and the geth above him.

Legion slid hands back up Shepard’s body as he lit up as their bodies responded to each other, muscles relaxed and skin goose-bumped with pleasure. Watching Legion with calm eyes lined with ecstasy, Shepard let his gaze trail Legion’s hands as it pulled scarred thighs onto its metal hips. Shepard was hovering in a state of pleasure tingling over his skin and jolting deep in his body spikes of ecstasy danced all over his insides it was a sense of pleasure he’d never felt before and it made his whole body sing pulses only exciting him more, as a feeling of satisfaction lingered. 

Pushing one of Shepard’s thighs open, Legion curiously touched the straining cock twitching Shepard hissed at the touch and bucked looking for more as his eyes flared with heat. The geth curiously tilted his head at the reaction as one hand gripped the base causing Shepard to moan at the contact as hips bucked harder trying to thrust into the cool grip.

Shepard was held firm as he whined arching his body as it lazily stroked the base teasing the man as his body rippled with the sensation. Legion let his optic focus on the man as his other hand dipped his three fingers in a small vat of oil as it rubbed the fingers together before gazing back at Shepard for a long moment. Seeing what the geth was doing, Shepard spread his legs wider and arched his hips as let himself relax feeling the digits pushing at his puckered entrance before easily slipping inside. Gasping at the shockingly cold digits, Shepard tightened his grip on the sheets as he stiffened hissing at the sensation of being prodded along his insides as Legion groped curiously at the sensation of tight, flexible flesh flexing around his finger. 

Legion’s other hand slid up Shepard’s cock stroking it slowly as the man moaned thrusting into the grip as the geth squeezed tighter to distract the man as it pressed its finger deeper. As soon as the tight grip on the geth’s single finger loosened a bit, two more worked their way into Shepard’s body as they began to thrust wiggling inside of the man curious as to the reaction he would get. 

Shepard arched suddenly screaming at the top of his lungs as his body slammed against Legion’s, startled by the vicious onslaught of pleasure stabbing through his body causing him to almost knocking the geth off of him in surprise. Legion had found what was dubbed in human anatomy as the ‘prostate’ and electricity through its body only convinced its many consensuses to agree quickly, finding it strange that decisions and pleasure was being reached too readily. The geth pondered for a brief moment if this was ‘lust’ and ‘desire’ felt like? 

Shepard was writhing from the lashes of lust twisting inside of him as he calmed a bit as the geth stopped to ponder and he looked at him, “Why’d you stop, Legion?” The single blue optic focused on Shepard’s body as the geth tilted his head, “Acknowledged.” Shepard’s body jerked as he screamed, the smooth, metal fingers moving faster grinding hard on the fleshy bump taking in the reaction of contact. Watching the body writhe and jerk in obvious ecstasy drew the geth as he leaned closer as the cold smooth curve of his face plates just lightly brushed a nipple as the man howled before he started to wiggle wildly, “No more! Stop I’m too close!” Shepard was desperately trying to halt the pounding digits from driving him over the edge as he shuddered when Legion did as he said. He could help but whimper at the loss as he shook his head at the geth.

“I want to cum when you integrate with me not just by fingers.” Legion took a moment to process Shepard’s request before he dipped his fingers in the oil again slicking the squirming synthetic cock as he slid between Shepard’s thighs.   
“We find it necessary to warn you of any…strange occurrences during this process.” Before Shepard could question the meaning of that statement, the painful fullness of the cock spilt him open as his body crackled alive with the sensation. Forcing himself to the hilt the geth didn’t want a moment before he began a vicious pace, hips relentless as it pinned Shepard’s thighs wide open. Rigid with agony, Shepard forced himself to relax as angled thrusts set of bursts of pleasure as he arched grinding against the mechanical body above him. 

Legion melded himself close to Shepard’s body, head on the commander’s chest as he pulled the body closer sensing the erratic heartbeat through the man’s chest. The geth could feel the tight, fleshy walls squeezing the cock, sensors overloading from the pressure sparks rocking the geth’s mainframe, Legion snapped it’s hips harder causing more friction and jolts tingled its joints. Legion wanted more of that electric discharge, the grind of flesh on synthetic sparked reactions throughout his systems and consensus simultaneously were stimulated by the charges. Charges rocked the geth’s frame, overloading systems and throwing control into disarray, it couldn’t control itself as it thrust harder digging fingers into soft flesh bruising it with uncontrolled pressure. 

Shepard was assaulted with the slamming pleasure jabbing inside of his body, pain only an echo in the roar of lust overwhelming his senses. Gripping the sheets hard as he was grinding relentlessly on the bed as his belly started to tighten and one hand scratching uselessly at the geth’s side, trying to find purchase. Something to hold onto. The man was feeling desperate, longing even in the relentless bliss filling his body and lightly stroked the face plates as they leaned onto his chest.

“Intergrating in 3….2….1…Initiating.” The cock exploded inside of Shepard as the man scream filled the ship causing some geth to look up in mild alarm at the sound. Stiffening as Shepard’s cock exploded between them slicking the man and geth with pearly white seed as he arched sharply. Even Legion felt it as a powerful electrical discharge caused the geth to briefly fear going offline in the wave of charges going through its systems, powering it’s processors to nearly impossible levels and boosting functions all through its body. A powerful, intoxicating feeling, even for a geth. Cables shot through Shepard’s body, making connections with various slivers of metallic ports, burrowing into flesh and connecting with the nano-machines rampant in the man’s blood.   
He was panting hard and wincing at the forceful movement of cables relentless plunging deeper into his body it didn’t feel quite as invasive as it did just strange. Legion shifted as it held onto Shepard loosely but gripped his arms lightly, looking the man over to see if he was alright and finding nothing wrong with his outer appearance but a few bruises it had made. The geth felt a sense of ecstasy as charges still ran rampant through its systems making it feel better than before almost comparable to the aftermath of an organics blissful mating.

“Legion…you’re fucking amazing,” Shepard panted hard, his body humming with the after math still singing from the cables plunging deeper tingling his still sensitive body as he stroked the face plates of the geth gently. Placing light kisses on the still face plates he let his head fall back as his mind began to drift, his body already tired. He just wanted to…sleep for a little while. All the battles, worries and concerns felt so far away with the geth leaning on his chest, the cables digging inside of him and the still quiet of the ship around them. 

“Please…Legion don’t hurt me. I’m sick of being hurt, always being the hero, taking all of the wounds and none of the care. Don’t…deny me like Garrus had. I can’t take it anymore.” Shepard closed his eyes for a moment as the geth noticed something flowing from the mis-matched orbs as he noticed the sedatives that had coated the appendage were starting to take effect. It had deducted that it would make the process easier, less painful but now it simply wished to be close to the commander as he spoke in his last moments of consciousness.

“We will not endanger you, Shepard. You have aided us and we will save you.” Shepard’s last coherent memory was of cold, metallic fingers holding his face and though it was as cold as any machine, it felt so warm in those few moments. So comforting it had to be sinful that he could almost believe the geth’s words. Why would the synthetic lie? Silence fell between them and Legion was concerned from the quiet from the man who had been speaking not only a few moments ago.

“Are you alright, Leon?” Shepard was shivering a bit and nodded slowly as he was still lying on the bed strange things were passing over his face as he caught his breath before sitting up a bit. Legion was still pressed against his body, a direct connection to be maintained at all times during the process. The man still seemed a bit disoriented and confused as his eyes slid shut slowly, “I don’t…feel…well.” Falling limp against the geth he passed out as the bed began to depress in the middle both of the figures sinking. 

The bed had been nothing more than a temporary arrangement adjusting as it acknowledged the changing phases of Shepard’s impending transformation. It retracted as the sheets, bed and everything else around them began to change. Cables darted upward sliding into the geth’s open chest making connections, and burrowing under Shepard’s flesh as the bed disappeared turning into a large, fluid filled tank. The fluid glowed a faint light-blue as both Shepard and Legion sank into the thick, viscous liquid.

“We will take care of you, Leon for you will soon be us.” For a brief moment, Legion was holding Shepard loosely tracing the edge of his face plates along the man’s neck and cheek in an almost careful way. Fully submerged cables engulfed both of them and a breathing mask for Shepard soon slid over his mouth and nose, Legion’s body had cables connecting them both as Shepard was enveloped in them. After a while it simply appeared as if Legion were curled around a large mass of cables anyone else would not have guessed that Shepard was in the midst of that. 

The process of Leon Shepard’s evolution was pushing forward. The duo in the liquid were soon in a large, circular tank that was soon hidden amongst more cables, and energy tubes that connected along with thick, armor plates along with heavily armed geth. None would stop the machination of Shepard. 

“They have not but we will…cherish you.” Legion’s voice echoed in the darkness of Shepard’s mind that was only now an echo inside of something becoming more than human. Legion’s system began to slow flood into his mind, changing and aiding his fragile processors developing for control. For…the good of life synthetics would rule. The fluid flowed a light-blue began to run a blood red.


	5. Chapter 5

The geth’s attacks began to cease on the ships of the quarians and for a moment there seemed to be a standstill before the main forces began to pull back toward their largest ship dubbed ‘The Mother’ by both its large size and seeming importance to the geth since they guarded it so heavily. The quarians believed it housed all of their main systems, configurations and overall the physical core of data that they would gather if so it was incredibly strange that it was appearing outside of geth space, the Perseus Veil. The Admirals were concerned it was because the geth were planning something large possibly a counter attack. 

They were deeply concerned and every tactic they tried to sneak past defenses to infiltrate the large ship were quickly shot down by the constantly evolving geth who would take their every move as offense. It was a tense stand-off situation and it had only been a day or so since Shepard’s disappearance with Legion. The Normandy’s crew were skittish and unsure what to do without their Commander to hold it all together, Kaidan had taken his place but his anger was clouding any good judgment on his part. Things were only getting progressive worse with bickering among the crew with Kaidan, Tali, and Garrus being suspicious of EDI since she had received contact from Legion a few hours after it had taken Shepard. Joker was avidly defending his AI co-pilot and without any solid proof, the trio couldn’t do much about it. 

“No, I do not agree with your methods and will not involve myself in petty matters. We have an enemy to fight and you lose sight of the big picture we have already lost.” Javik’s cold tone left no room to argue as he coldly urged them out of his space. “I won’t tolerate this foolishness. Get your heads on straight or I’ll be forced to fix them for you. I am vengeance and if I must I will not stop at the Reapers.” With those words the trio left feeling as though they had done something to anger the Prothean as he seemed moreso than usual. 

Kaidan sighed deeply, “Some of what he said was right I suppose. This is spinning out of control…I need some time before we do anything rash,” feeling the ache of a headache coming up his anger was only making it worse. Leaving Garrus and Tali to their own devices, the couple headed for the observatory deck to take some time themselves. Tali wanted some alone time with Garrus anyway since he seemed a bit uncomfortable if not guilty when he heard that Shepard had been taken by Legion and she was waiting to hear what he had to say about it. Making herself comfortable while Garrus retrieved some drinks from the bar she was anxious as he sat next to her extending the drink.

“Garrus I wanted to talk to you about Shepard…” The turian sighed as his mandibles seemed to stiffen as he put the drinks down on the table as he looked outward toward the stars before he sighed a bit, “I’m sure you would after all that has happened.” Tali gave a slow nod as she tilted her hand and gently put her hand on the turian’s thigh to help reassure him.

“I’m not accusing you of anything. I just want to understand why Shepard did what he did.” Just speaking about it made her think about the look on Shepard’s face he had seemed unlike himself and strangely vulnerable, it was uncharacteristic not to see the commander hard as stone in any situation even if sometimes, if she looked close enough, there were chips in that resolve. 

“Back when we were fighting the Collectors…Shepard admitted he felt a certain attraction toward me more than a friend,” Tali seemed to take it in relatively well as Garrus continued, “I gave it a try just to see if it would work but all I ended up with was being uncomfortable and leading him on. I know I’m not a class act, but pretending that I wasn’t bothered was wrong.” He took Tali’s hand and squeezed it gently as he sighed again, “It wasn’t a pleasant conversation. If you’ve ever seen the look of someone you’ve always seen as a solid wall just crumble before your eyes like something made out of old, worn clay it’s…disturbing.” Garrus took a long drink of the alcohol he had taken down, as if this conversation had been something he’d seen coming.

“It was hard leaving him in there to sit and think about what I’d told him. In truth, I don’t remember fully but I do remember that I told him I couldn’t see him as anything other than a mentor or a close brother. Seeing Shepard as something more than family wasn’t right it felt like violating something sacred as if I was dirtying something pure.” The turian said with some amount of regret that he had even entertained the thought let alone led the mentor figure on like that. Shaking his head slowly he let go of Tali’s hand to put both of his on his face as he took a deep sigh.

“After that things seemed to be alright we didn’t speak but eventually we were able to be friend again. Saving the galaxy tends to make things like that seem petty and meaningless when they could be dying tomorrow. Almost skipped over the awkward phase,” Garrus gave a low nod, “Almost but not quite.” He said thinking on the slight feeling of tension he always got from Shepard if they ever had any time to talk privately and realized how often the commander had them speak in close proximity to other crew. Strange he would notice that now of all times. 

“Things were just starting to feel alright again but I suppose I could have missed that too. Shepard is a hard man to read, even harder to crack open especially when we have a life or death mission hanging over our heads, as we always seem to.” Garrus stared outside toward the ships floating aimlessly in space, just seeming like they were waiting for something to happen. Weren’t they also? Just sitting around until something or someone made the first move? How did they always find themselves in these standoffs? The turian closed his eyes without realizing it feeling a sense of dread coming over him. Was it partially his fault for the state Shepard was currently in? He clenched his fist before he realized it and snapped out of his thoughts as he felt a gentle pressure.

“It’s not your fault.” Tali spoke simply and confidently as she took Garrus’s hands into hers pulling them toward her chest as she reached forward stroking the turian’s face, letting a finger trace over the edge of his mandible. Leaning into it Garrus pulled her closer as she easily shifted onto his lap as they both looked outside at the quarian armada. Tali wanted to ask more questions, to drill him almost relentlessly about more intimate details but she could tell it wasn’t the time for it.

She could feel his despair, guilt even at the situation and at the moment that was more important than her curiosity, he needed her and she could wait. Garrus held onto her lightly, enjoying her close proximity he had the sparks of feelings for her back when he first saw her in that alley way still fresh from a Pilgrimage that helped them stop Saren. Her bravery had left an impression on him and he had the cresting of want for her since that moment. To have her now, sitting here with him and listening to the choices he made was overwhelming, a dream almost. He hoped in the midst of the end on the brink of destruction, she would continue to stand with him and face hell together.

Kaidan was in Shepard’s cabin, it in theory belonged to him now whether it be temporary or permanent. Sighing deeply, he looked around half-heartedly from the model ships hanging on the see-through rack to the fuzzy little hamster calmly resting in its cage on a shelf, it all seemed strange now. He could almost see Shepard walking through the door, tossing his data pad aside and sleeping in his clothes like he sometimes did after a stressful mission. Walking past his desk and glancing at the fish swimming idly in the large tank lined in the wall he took a moment to take in Shepard’s bed, almost looking as if no one had slept in it. In truth, he wouldn’t be surprised if Shepard hadn’t been doing any sleeping ever since Earth had been attacked the man had been looking worse with each day. 

Every report of hundreds, millions of people dying with wave of Reapers, Husks and more that tore through people like wet paper added one more haunted look to the Commander’s eyes. It had made the biotic man’s heart ache with sympathy for his old friend and commander, also it had raised conflicting emotions in Kaidan, the anger he felt at Shepard’s departure only confused him more. 

“I don’t understand it,” he sighed as he practically dropped onto the bed and let his thoughts wander off as he envisioned Shepard like how others saw him: a strong-willed, hardened man with the will if not the ability to save the galaxy again. That’s how he always heard how others saw the man called Shepard. He saw something completely different; a man worn to the born with the weight of not just one world but several resting on his every choice. A man who had forsaken the normalcy of life for the opportunity to save millions of lives that always seemed to be dangling on the precipice of destruction. In reality, Shepard was something of a god watching over life and risking every fiber of his own being to hold it all together. A man with a god’s love for all species organic or not.  
Kaidan felt the wet trace of tears having run down his cheeks as he brushed them away just thinking about all the things Shepard gave up and threw aside to protect the galaxy only had increased his admiration for his friend. Even after Ashley’s untimely demise the Commander had pushed forward and even saved the Alien Council from being killed off, preventing any backlash from angry aliens at all-human Council being in control instead. Though through it all he had seen the Commander with no one, not even when the galaxy wasn’t in peril the man was always by himself in the end. 

He had heard of a brief attempt with Garrus, but it was obvious it had been rejected or failed in some sense seeing as the turian was happily engaged with the quarian, Tali. It seemed the savior of the galaxy had forgone any form of love or affection also in his plight of protecting everyone, he felt guilty for not being with the man when the Collectors had attacked but he had been so angry at the rollercoaster his emotions took off on when he heard the man had died. Hearing the man had died had confused him greatly and then hearing he had been brought back had only thrown those feelings back into a vicious spiral once more. He had felt joy, anger, sadness and a crazed mix of other things as well but when he had seen the man’s face for the first time it gave him nothing but relief before it quickly dissipated into anger.

Kaidan laid there where he had dropped onto Shepard’s bed as he thought about all of these things, about the hardships his friend had gone through and would still go through if he would come back like EDI said he would. How much more different would he be? Was Shepard willing to sacrifice what made him human to save the galaxy again? He had been restored by Cerberus, synthetics making up more than forty percent of his body from the artificially made skin to the valves of his heart and nerves being remade he almost began to question about what remained of Shepard was even original. Shame filled him as he realized Shepard’s very self hadn’t been changed even if his body had. He felt he was betraying the man again with the poisonous thoughts filling his head.

“I’m sorry, Shepard. I always seem to doubt something about you even as you risk everything to keep us all alive.” Hearing himself speak Kaidan sat up holding his head and suddenly feeling like he was invading on Shepard’s personal self he left the cabin to back to his own quarters. To hell if they dubbed him Commander, being in there felt wrong Shepard would come back and continue the mission he knew the man was nothing but dedicated. It was why Kaidan was feeling such strange, conflicting feelings for his old friend his admiration for Shepard’s resilience and drive was in turn giving him something to admire, something to care for. Kaidan needed some time to think of what was happening both with this geth situation and his own feelings toward his friend though he was still angry at the situation, he was simply calmer about it. 

EDI was watching the survelliance, monitoring everyone’s reactions and actions since hearing of Shepard’s ‘capture’. She was categorizing the range of emotions, actions and tactics taken up by the different crew members all if it just left her more curious than before. She felt a pressing need to ask as she tilted her head to the side, “Jeff, may I ask you questions?” Joker seemed a bit jolted out his thoughts as he looked toward her before nodding, “Yeah, go ahead what’s on your mind, EDI?” He turned toward her, the ship simply hovering for now, cruising in a general path for keeping watch on both the geth and the quarians.

“There seems to be a variety of emotions among all of the crew since Shepard’s ‘capture’ and I am curious as to why. Many are going from feelings of anger or rage to something more akin to guilt or shame. It is strange to see them go through them so quickly.” She said as she folded her hands on her lap but was using small hand gestures as she spoke, something she had picked up it seemed.

Joker leaned into his chair a bit as he looked at her, “Well, most of us like to think we know Shepard and with what happened everyone is getting all bothered because they didn’t see it coming. Honestly, I didn’t either but I’m not huffing about it acting like the guy offended me.” He saw her minute gestures and even the slight tilt of her head toward him, wondering if these were things she had picked up from the many vids she had seen on behavior of species that interacted with one another. 

“But why do they express anger first? It seems illogical to want to become infuriated at his decision since it was the best in the moment to prevent harm being brought to anyone.” She was curious at their varied expressions toward the situation, “It would be hard to come up with a plan with minds blocked up with the emotions they are going through therefore making a counter plan almost impossible.” Sitting a bit straighter she turned toward Joker and was awaiting his input on it.

“Well, people get angry when something happens that they don’t like and unexpected goes on. Like that attack on Earth, no one was expecting that and many people were mad then it turned into sadness if not depression because of loved ones possibly being killed. They get angry because they couldn’t stop it and there’s nothing they can do to undo it from happening. Being powerless makes people angry.” He said simply as he took a few moments in between his words before answering fully because he knew she always took it into consideration when she had to make conclusions. Honestly it made him feel good to know what he said was being taken seriously, Shepard usually did but others always brushed it off. He was crippled, not stupid. 

“So when someone feels a loss of power, they lose some hold on their emotions too? That seems illogical but emotions seem to cause spontaneous things to happen. I’ll have to think on this more. Thank you for your input, Jeff.” She gave a small nod and made a slight gesture with her hand that made Joker smile a bit, she raised her hand and lightly traced her cheek with her fingertips before turning back to her console. 

It was a small gesture but one that made Joker smile as he turned back to his own, “Anytime, anything for you.” His words made him think on how he got to this point but felt he didn’t care how he got to where he was only that he was taking it as it was coming. He was here now piloting one of the best ships in the galaxy with the most beautiful thing he’d ever laid eyes on in the galaxy and helping lead the charge to save all organic life. All in a day’s work for the Normandy crew, it seemed that was all they did and it made him proud he was flying it. 

He felt that…Everything would be alright, not perfect, not ideal but…alright.


	6. Chapter 6

It was dark. A vision of complete and utter nothingness was before him. He couldn’t even tell if his eyes were open or closed everything felt so still. So quiet. A vicious spark of color entered his vision as it began to expand stretching over the darkness as lights began to race past him, sounds of connections and formations coming to life before his very eyes. Shepard couldn’t help but feel awed at the life teeming all around him, even over his own skin he felt on fire, wrapped in intricate data as it flashed the brilliance of a light blue numbers fading into his body and familiar hands coming to vision. He was reforming…Becoming something familiar in his own mind, something recognizable.

Shepard didn’t have to see himself to know he had taken form in the stream of data all around him, it was strange to think he was now inside such a strange world from the one he was used to. One thing he did notice almost immediately was his hair was considerably longer in this data-formulated stream, and it even spread to the circular area that had taken shape around him akin to a tunnel. It had grown from the length of barely scraping his shoulder, but now it was pooling around his feet which also brought to attention he wasn’t wearing his usual attire of a leather military outfit. He was wearing a skin-tight set consisting of a T-shaped shirt and shorts that seemed to be of the same material though it was weightless as if he was wearing nothing. At least there were benefits of cyber space and data streams, he pondered to himself of what was happening. 

“You have taken form already? Your progress is accelerating at a faster rate than anticipated.” Legion’s voice was a welcome to the data stream all around them as Shepard didn’t turn around looking at the walls of the ‘data tunnel’ and the semi-solid ground he was standing on. He was still trying to adjust to the strange weightlessness of clothing, hair and everything else but having Legion around helped make things easier to take in. The geth’s form was shaped in data and as solid looking as if they were still in the outside world, even down the hole in Legion’s chest plate. 

“We are in a secure part of whole so that you will not be overwhelmed by the sheer number and expansive nature of all data.” Legion stated simply standing close to Shepard’s side who was, at the moment, enthralled at the sheer amount of hair that he had acquired. “This area is taken the shape of something you would be familiar with. In this, the whole of the Geth, we do not have restrictions. Our systems can take any form, or create any environment that we feel the most comfortable with but we suggest trying that at another time when your program had become more accustomed to the world of the data.” Shepard gave a slow nod and was grateful Legion had thought ahead to isolate them for the time being.  
“Why is my hair so long?” The question nagged at him as Legion tilted his head before answering, “It will be your main connection to the data.” Shepard looked at Legion questioningly, “It serves as a series of small cables that transfer small amounts of data at a time when you wish to receive only small bits and not something large.” Shepard nodded slowly as he saw as his hair was sparking with data stream from its contact with the ‘ground’ that was also streaming with data. Everything around them was data and had taken a dark blue hue before Shepard, curious to what Legion said, began to envision things around them like a night sky. 

In a flash, everything began to shift as the ‘tunnel’ lifted and soon became dark dotting with pinpricks of light while the ground shuddered as it took form of rolling hills. Becoming darker and thinning in the shapes of grass soon the pair stood under a night sky even down the soft sound of crickets. Legion curiously looked around at Shepard’s pick of scenery as it had taken shape the way Shepard had remembered it.

“You can only see what you have remembered, Shepard. Your memories are clusters of data that can be copied and recreated here.” Legion spoke clearly as he put a hand on Shepard’s shoulder, data lit up between them at the touch and a transfer was made as some of Legion’s programming was integrated into Shepard’s. 

“I have transferred some of my own data to you to prevent any corruption and to add protection to your own security.” Pulling back its hand, Legion began to type on a board that opened before him as the scenery melted away into a wall of data that pulled from the streams on either side of them for their viewing. “Here is data from the quarians and the Normandy since your integration this will allow to gauge where the situation is currently.” The data spread out and opened as vids, statistics and general overview of the fleets’ position it was amazing to see data stream effortlessly to them. Even as they spoke and changed the area around them constant streams of data circled them, communicating and interacting as interchangeably as anything else, a natural occurrence in a world filled with data bound by the connections that could be made between programs. Shepard pondered how strange the feeling was of it at first-an overwhelming sense of being filled and the trickling sensation of having just a small fraction taken at a time but also being replaced just as quickly. 

Small, darting feelings of loss accompanied by simultaneous feeling of being filled all over again it was confusing to Shepard but also somewhat comforting at the loss of feeling nothing at all. Curiously, Shepard noted how the quarian fleet was moving slowly, almost not at all if not for the slight mile distance between a few days ago and recently. They were attempting to creep past geth defenses without alerting the systems by moving quickly and were instead moving very slowly to avoid quick response deflects.  
“The quarian fleet is moving toward that large ship. What is that?” Expanding view on a large, geth ship surrounded by several others it was a curious sight to Shepard, having never seen one like it. Shepard could sense Legion near him, not in a physical way but in mental, full way that expanded in his core giving him an overall sense of the data around him, Legion was prominent since he was composed of many different programs working simultaneously and together. It was getting harder for Shepard to remember how it felt being human in the massive expanse of data.  
“That is the ship we are on currently you have been offline for a full day and a few hours. Our mobile platforms are stored securely aboard the flagship that organics have been referring to as the ‘Mother’ or mother ship, since it is the largest.” Legion was pulling data from the various streams around them as he pulled it forward before analyzing and letting it slip away, it was a fast, continuous process as he watched the geth do it. 

“You were correct, Shepard. The fleet has moved only slightly but indeed it has moved. We will keep watch it seems they are attempting stealth maneuvers to gain access to the mother ship possibly to destroy geth. There is a ninety-four percent chance of that being their motive.” Slivers of data shot from different angles of Legion’s body as the information was spread over the system quickly and soon all geth were alerted to the possibility of attack. Having no one question his motives was strange and would take some time to get used to.

“They accepted my assumption?” Legion tilted his head as he looked at Shepard, “Of course it is highly possible with past encounters with the Creators.” Shepard felt a bit at odds without any doubt being shoved into his face. In a flash, suddenly Shepard and Legion were surrounded by a whirlwind of data as it began to tighten bombarding them with urgent information flashing across all screens. It seemed their bodies were ready.

“Are you prepared to integrate back into your mobile platform, Shepard? It will be an insightful experience to see how you adjust to being back inside of a physical form.” Legion said lightly and curiously as the optic focused on Shepard. He was finding himself somewhat curious of the difference between an organic and inorganic body, Shepard wondered if it would feel that much different knowing he wasn’t trapped inside of it. A strange, vague sense of freedom teased at his thoughts. 

Legion reached into the mass of data around them and began to furiously work at a ball forming between quick-moving fingers as it began to grow sporadically, “Integration initiating in 3…2…1…Commencing.” The data blinded them as Shepard saw his vision go from the growing ball to a strange blankness as the world fell away, disappearing into the nothingness once again.

Screens lit up inside the quarian’s vessels as did the Normandy’s as the large, mother ship of the geth began to lurch, energy pulsating at increasing rates and even shaking nearby fighters meant to guard the massive ship. Communication sprung open across the flight crew’s screens. 

“What was that? Did they fire? Where did that energy come from?” The female Admiral was livid with how rapidly the energy had cascaded through all of their systems and then disappeared into nothing as if it had been a tidal wave washing over them. What was most concerning for the AI co-pilot was the distant, answering vibrations from deep space though it was too low for any human to sense, it was low and barely registered on the sensors. Joker was too busy trying to patch through calls to catch it, having several messages of angry and confused quarians tended to take someone’s attention even someone like Jeff.

“We don’t know we felt it too. Here, let me let you transfer you to Commander Alenko so you can get off of my back.” He transferred all of the calls with a frustrated slam on a button as he sighed, the chair rocking slightly as he gave EDI a side-long glance. “Everyone always thinks we have all the answers. It’s hard being so smart sometimes.” EDI could have rolled her eyes at Joker’s sarcasm but that would decrease her vision by ninety-three percent and with things were going she would need to keep her vision acute on everything. 

The large containment sphere aboard the mother ship was pulsating like an organic’s heart and bulging with a sickeningly sharp tearing sound as it began to peel open like an overripe tomato. Thick, bloody liquid spilled out through the tears in the sides as cables began to flop with a sickly limpness to them, having served their purpose. A three-fingered, mechanical hand was the first to emerge before Legion managed to push himself from the body of the containment sphere and there were changes to his physical and digital hardware. The large, gaping hole had been mostly closed so that precious and vital processors were no longer exposed, but it was gaped inward and was a light blue color, the color itself a strip of Shepard’s own data. 

The geth’s armor had been thickened but besides the minor change of its damaged chest plate it was still Legion’s platform regardless. Shepard’s data had certainly influenced the re-design of the geth’s platform and even Legion was curiously looking over the subtle differences, the hole in his chest the most startling change of all.

Legion snapped its head back as the half-depressed sphere began to pulsate and throb wetly as it began to expand and the tear spewed thicker, red liquid before fingers poked out leading a hand, arm and finally a shoulder as one giant spasm forced out the whole body. The body hit the ground with a wet ‘thunk’ and was momentarily as Legion watched him closely mentally calculating the percentage of failing a proper integration. After a long moment, the man on the ground began to move as his body began to change.

Shepard rubbed his forehead, his hand lining with fine, thin marks of data began to appear, a small grimace appeared on Shepard’s face as he noticed the thick substance all over his body. His facial scar was dark, metallic even and a thick strip was circled around his neck glittering ominously with data, flickering with small pinpricks of light. Scars began to darken taking on the same hue of his facial scar and as he stood, he felt something else begin to change. His spine now was on the outside, made completely of synthetic metal even trailing to include his ribs giving him an exoskeleton that was ten times stronger and more flexible than regular bone. 

It was strange for Shepard to adjust from being weightless to being back into his own body; the feeling of it was so vastly different it was almost hard to comprehend. Shaking his head, the wet sting of his hair brought him a little bit back to his senses; at least he could still feel pain. His hair was only slightly longer, not the monstrous length it had been in the data system he almost missed it, that strange weightless feeling. Shepard even felt different inwardly as he felt a strange pressure on his hands and turned his palms over; they were dark just like his scars. Lined with synthetics he had wires just under his flesh, a small indent able to allow the hair thin wires to easily access whatever he came into contact with. Gazing down his body he saw his hips, waist, knees, thighs and even his feet were now completely synthetic, even his flesh was a blend of synthetic metal and his still very much alive flesh. His synthetics were dark to make contrast against his flesh and some were more subtle like his eyes that glowed inhumanely bright with vibrancy.

Legion’s processors took in Shepard’s appearance and his consensus easily agreed Shepard had become more than just attractive as an organic but also as a synthetic hybrid. The cables and wires under his flesh lining muscles and reinforced bones throb with a harmonious beat. Even with Shepard’s internal organs having been altered, his heart, lungs and even his stomach had become completely synthetic, metallic pumps filling his body with nano-machine enriched blood to enhance communication through his body and with other machines.

“Shepard, you have adjusted well.” Shepard was curious at the slightly breathless tone in Legion’s voice, considering Legion didn’t breathe it was interesting to compare his tone with that human reaction. Shepard’s own mind raced to what Legion might be finding attractive and having his thoughts analyzed and passed through processors lining his brain that was more of a port to hold his hybrid organic and inorganic self. Curiously, Shepard noted the lack of a giant hole in Legion’s chest but the unique indent where it had been stood out as he reached forward curiously trailing his fingers over it, data lighting in response to the touch.

“You don’t look half-bad yourself, Legion. Nice patch up here it’s very efficient.” Legion’s faceplate whirled a bit noisily as it dipped its head lowly and leaning into the touch slightly before other geth appeared and being led away they were given the opportunity to wash off, the thick substance having kept their bodies efficient and safe in their time in the sphere. As they were getting cleaned up, other geth were keeping them up to date on what had been happening outside with the other fleets. Shepard was getting intel on the Normandy as smaller, helper geth cleaned his body systematically and sharing data through touch, it all seemed rather intimate all the data by touch and close-proximity links. 

It probably only seemed that way since organics only did close-proximity touching and embraces when they were in commerce of copulation or showing affection for geth it was a means to an end. Being close allowed for sharper, faster and even much more accurate integration, data passed by touch allowed for less errors or interference to compromise it. Now fully aware of the situation, Shepard was getting dressed in his clothes that had been kept securely as he slid into the leather and cloth outfit, it felt strange putting it on the constriction of it suddenly in the forefront of his mind. 

“Seems like things are at a standstill again aren’t they?” Shepard was holding a data pad and scrolling through the situation, the geth had been endlessly helpful in both getting him up to date while also sharing data. Most seemed to find him a curious oddity and were eager to learn more, in a way the geth were like any other species only without the naturally violent reactions most had to change. Metallic arms slid around Shepard’s waist as Legion pulled the man close against its mobile platform as it slid the curved head onto Shepard’s shoulder.

“You’re increasingly interactive aren’t you Legion?” Tingling surged through Shepard’s body at the contact, warmth seeped through his body as he leaned back against the geth and he stroked the smooth faceplates and was leisurely trailing metal fingers across Shepard’s chest, the protruding ribcage and spinal cord stood out.  
“Your data has allowed us to gain a minute sense of what you call emotions and senses but not to the degree of organics. We find this a positive opportunity to learn more about the decisions and natures of organics, if you would allow us to experiment with these new additions with you it would be most appreciated.” That would explain Legion’s sudden action, it may have been a simple want of contact and it would be interesting to see how Legion would handle the impulses and all that came along with having both emotions along with senses.

“Of course I would let you experiment the data you’re gathering can only increase knowledge I am always happy to help you receive optimal data.” Shepard was a bit curious at his own speak but figured it was simply being altered before he actually spoke them, his mind attempting to make points as clear as possible. If anything the geth were clear in what they would and wouldn’t do. Gently prying himself from the backwards embrace, Shepard stepped toward the console in the room, preparing himself briefly as he opened communications with both the quarian fleet and the Normandy. Legion stood nearby and was keeping an eye on Shepard, the addition of senses making him all the more protective of the man for both self-preservation and curious interest in Shepard’s progress.

Shepard took a deep breathe as he straightened himself up as the video link went live feeding the consoles as he nodded slowly, “I am Commander Shepard, unharmed and alive. The geth have done nothing wrong to me or to the quarians in this battle do not approach the mother ship in knowing if any do it will spark all out resistance. I will return to the Normandy and the mission will continue. Over and out.” Cutting the link Shepard felt himself sighing once more as he leaned onto his hand already hearing the merciless barrage of questions that would be thrown his way. He almost didn’t want to leave the ship, the geth were not always questioning and doubting themselves they always moved on, taking what they knew to make better solutions.

As Shepard stood there stress already building in his mind, Legion could see the data strips bleeding into a dark red glowering ominously as Shepard’s thoughts briefly flicked to darker thoughts of forcing everyone to relinquish control. Their beginnings only aiding to the inevitable end, Legion only watched and trickles of lust filled its processors.

“Control…”Shepard’s voice was low, metallic the ghost of Harbringer lingering in his words, as the dark glow briefly permeated the color in his eyes as a vicious smirk spread across his features before he turned to walk away to the shuttle with Legion not too far behind. Any geth they passed showed reverence by bowing slightly to the man who was more machine than human at this point. Legion followed simple thoughts trailed through his processors. Humanity. Compromised.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the lateness on this but here is these chapters! I am going to alter how I did the ending but this should sate some lovely people for the moment! This fanfiction isn't dead no worries! Love you guys, comments give me life! xoxoxo

Shepard was unnaturally silent on the ride to the Normandy, there were windows in this small ship not used for fighting or battles only for observation. Lights inside were dim and like elastic shadows that moved as though intricately dancing. Fiber wires glittered in the bare light of the stars shining through the small windows, the man could only ponder the onslaught he would receive once he docked. Everyone would want to know, to listen, to question and berate him mercilessly with interrogations even with a reaping tearing the galaxy apart. If all the species did, even with their very existence at stake, was bicker apart of Shepard pondered maybe they deserved it. 

Legion sat on the ground, leaning against Shepard’s thigh, as the Commander sat on a small berth and the geth sat below him to lean against his body without disturbing the man’s deep thoughts. A dim optic light focused on the eerily glowing eyes that only closed once the man returned to himself, shoulders sagged and the face began to etch with familiar lines of fatigue, of intense thought. The rest of the ride was silent, the only movement a small gesture of fingertips trailing over the geth’s faceplates in a slow, considerate gesture as the flickering of a brilliant white danced across the smooth metal. Data held more meaning than words, more than anything simple phrases could ever express. Lifetimes were spoken in the simplest exchange between synthetics.

“The pod has docked and the decontamination process has been started.” EDI spoke calmly as she continued to work the systems effortlessly as the decontamination area opened slowly, an anxious crew waiting to see how much their Commander had changed in such a short period of time. Shepard’s eyes were the first things to get noticed by the crew as they all stood silently, they had shielded the man’s thoughts before but now they were like mirrors everyone could see themselves in them gazing back in horror. His eyes were no longer organic, no longer human. 

“Still rendering us all speechless eh, Shepard?” Garrus’s voice easily broke whatever harsh silence was around and Shepard’s face slid into a slight smirk as he folded his arms, “Always, now if you all are done staring holes through me we still have a war to avert don’t we? You can drill me mercilessly another time.” Kaidan saw Shepard and was floored by what he was seeing, physically the man was almost the same as he left but something deeper was different. Pushing the thought out of his head he couldn’t help but think of how much more vivid Shepard was now. Especially those eyes, bright and almost damn near haunting, his body had tightened when Shepard stepped past him as the man was headed toward the war room. 

Kaidan had wanted to yell at Shepard, berate him or even curse his name to the High Heavens for leaving them, even if it was brief but his mouth had dried seeing the stoic figure in front of him again. All the thoughts and emotions he had been contending with had thrown themselves back into the forefront of his mind. He thought it was either from Shepard being gone or the fact he had been thinking of him so damn intensely that Shepard seemed more attractive somehow, the luminous glow of lights dancing across his flesh only seemed the make the man more ethereal, unreal or godlike. 

Shepard was in the war room, Legion standing nearby at a console lining the wall as the geth was making links with the system to update information and general inquiries. The Commander reviewed the overall status of assets and preparations for the oncoming assault they would lay, a part of him wondered if they would even make it that far with their interests still locked with the tedious standstill. It all seemed so damn trivial in the large scheme of things but it would be dealt with and they would move on. To deal with more trivial matters that prevented them from handling the situation before it spiraled out of control. 

“Don’t they understand? The more time we spend tearing out each other’s throats, the more bodies, friends, families that they can use against us increases.” Shepard was talking more to himself than anyone in particular even as some of the ship’s crew looked up at the sound of his voice but quickly went back to their tasks at hand. Putting away the war map Shepard couldn’t look at the astounding numbers growing by the second, deaths were pouring in faster than some reports could keep up and Shepard stepped back, the dark band trickled briefly with data. 

“Tali, can you contact the quarian fleet and ask them to gather here so we can continue negotiations.” He spoke lightly, thoughts still racing through his mind.  
“Right away, Shepard.” Tali’s voice was crisp and the answer curt, he wondered what she thought of all of what was going on. 

“Would you like us to continue being present when dealing with the Creators? You have sufficient knowledge of Geth, we believe you will represent us well.” Legion’s voice was somewhat welcome in the strange silence that hung over the crew since Shepard had returned. 

“Yes, I would prefer your company it’s better to have you around. Gives them something to basis the geth off of, something they’re not shooting at.” Shepard chuckled at bit at his words and Legion slid closer to him, curiously it touched Shepard’s hand marveling at the feeling of skin. “Must be nice to be able to control when you feel and emotions,” Shepard teased Legion and tapped the face plates that fluttered at the brief contact.

“It is interesting and is allowing us to understand organics more efficiently than previously calculated to have been achieved. During battle and hostile encounters we will automatically disable sensory and emotional response to prevent hinderance in encounters.” Shepard hummed approvingly as Legion ran its fingers down the Commander’s arm, following the rise of muscle as light danced across his flesh. Legion was recording every experience, every touch and embrace would be stored into its memory. Legion was curious at the sense of privacy it felt that the interesting sensations caused as it wished to conduct more experiments but privately…to prevent the separation of crew and commander of course.

Legion stopped and took a respectable distance, Shepard gave him a sidelong glance but didn’t say anything as the quarian Admirals stepped into the war room. Shepard mentally firmed himself as he leaned on the round, projectile, “The hell is with this? We demand answers!” One of the Admirals was quick to get on his case and Shepard could see things would go down south quickly.

“Legion thought I needed aid, he was concerned for my mental and physical well-being.” The Admirals still seemed skeptical and Shepard was prepared as the next few hours were dedicated to prodding him mercilessly with questions about the Geth, their ships and if he had been ‘compromised’. Shepard had argued and dealt with many different species but there was nothing as suspicious as quarians about anything concerning geth.

“We still haven’t gone over what we should do about this situation. You still have geth on your home planet but they’re herectics once we remove them or at least null the ground Reaper signal, we should be in the clear.” Shepard opened the map as they had managed to pinpoint the Reaper signal station and the signal pulsed steadily, there was a comfortable silence.

“We should be able to destroy the geth fleet once that signal is lost!” Shepard put a hand on his forehead and shook his head, “The geth only attacked you because you tried blasting them to pieces. Stop fighting, haven’t you lost enough of your people?” All the Admirals fell silent at the question and shifted uncomfortably.

Admiral Xen stepped forward, “We will only consider sending aid once our people are safe. Complete the mission and then we’ll aid you in the war against the Reapers.” She nodded curtly and stepped away, leaving with the others to gather their fleets to distract geth heretics while Shepard would go in to complete the mission. She stopped and turned toward Shepard before speaking, “I suggest you be careful, I hear the call of the Reapers is too sweet of a song to ignore for inorganics.” She stepped out after saying what she wanted to.

Legion stepped forward, “No input was required from us, we conclude the meeting went well.” Shepard rubbed his forehead again, “I think it did all things considering. I’m going to go check in with Joker, if you want to talk go ahead and wait in my cabin.” Shepard nodded, “Acknowledged, Shepard-Commander.” Shepard noticed how the geth switched how it addressed him around crew members, it seems Legion was learning quickly.

“Did they build stronger, faster and better? Or do I need to get my eyes checked?” Shepard smirked at Joker’s snarky remark, “Missed you too, Joker. I trust the crew didn’t chew on you too hard since I know how much you love to be the scapegoat.” Joker snorted and turned toward Shepard, “Kaidan was riding my ass before your footprints got cold almost had to punch his lights outs so he’d get off of EDI’s case.” Shepard looked toward the AI who had also turned to join the conversation.

“Yes, the crew was angry because I had prior knowledge of Legion’s planned actions. They felt I should have stopped it.” EDI gave awkward gestures but they were smoother the more she did them. 

“Always got to stand by your woman don’t you, Joker? You’re more noble than you like to admit.” Shepard smiled at Joker’s embarrassment as his eyes averted looking everywhere but at Shepard or EDI. 

“Well anyway!” He said as he looked toward Shepard, brave curiosity a known trait from the pilot, “What it like? Getting all freaky close to the geth and all?” He sat forward a bit, curious as to what it could be like and what kind of crazy shit Shepard had managed to get himself in. 

“It was interesting, not what I expected though at least I have a better understanding of the geth and their motivations. It was fear that caused them to attack the Quarians, fear for their lives.” Shepard spoke lightly and left the two to ponder on what he said, being near all those screens, all that data was causing a strange resonance in his head. It was an eerie echo that felt hollow in the back of his mind, a strange humming underlined everything. Had it always been there?

“Shepard, I need to talk to you.” Kaidan blocked Shepard’s path to the elevator, and he was greeted with a single, vibrant turquoise gaze before a slow nod was his answer. The elevator opened and Shepard gestured that Kaidan join him as he let his hand slid from his face before folding his arms a bit leaning on the wall of the elevator.

“What about, Kaidan?” The biotic felt himself inwardly sigh at the familiar voice of the Commander but kept himself strict in line. He wanted answers, not more distractions, “I want to know what happened to you when you were with those geth. You leave yourself open at too many opportunities,” he stated simply as he stood in front of Shepard, not letting the Commander avoid his gaze.

“There isn’t much to say. We all know, when I died, they put me together with synthetics. In all honestly, I’m sure that I’m more synthetic than organic.” Shepard stood up straight and folded his arms loosely as he looked solemnly at his friend, “Legion was simply concerned my synthetics were being pushed too far, that they may have been compromised and wanted to help me.” The light-haired man closed his eyes briefly as he tilted his head to the side, the slightly longer length brushed just over his shoulder.

“It was strange…Having someone care enough to help even when I didn’t know I needed it.” The elevator doors slid open and Shepard stepped out, slipping past Kaidan, who stood a bit speechless Shepard moved into the hall leading to his cabin. Kaidan felt a strange pang of jealousy, anger and sadness twist inside of his chest as he saw the metal frame of the geth standing outside of Shepard’s quarters.

“After all, I was only human.” Kaidan was still as the elevator doors slid shut, cutting off of the biotic’s vision, the last thing he saw was of Shepard being touch, a gentle and unnatural gesture he thought, by the geth. Bitterness bit at his tongue as he thought he was the one who should be healing Shepard’s wounds, embracing the scarred flesh and hearing the sounds the man could make in the heat of passion. He felt anger boiling inside of him as he angrily stepped out and was blazing with anger as he stormed to his quarters.

“Skin has a versatile texture.” Legion’s mechanical voice was somewhat of a relief in the underlaying hum of the ship as Shepard purred himself at the light strokes from the fingers curiously prodding his flesh. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Shepard had his top laying across the sofa. His chest was intricate with the trailing markings and thick metal, holding together the intricate workings of his chest. The skin was stretched as the exoskeleton ribs pulsed with flickering lights as wires had stretched from the ribs wrapping around. Patches of metal stretched from the ribs and reacted with brief brushes of Legion’s fingers.

“Y-yes it is,” Shepard was lost in the intense sensations Legion was stirring with his curiosity of pressure points and patterns of sensitive cables underneath skin. Silvery-blue hair hung down as the Commander’s body was covered in a light sheen of sweat, panting as muscles contracted sweetly at the pinpricks of pain from pressure but quickly dissolved into a sprinkling pleasure all over his body. Legion, positioned further on the bed, legs digging into the sheets while it was leaning forward arms outstretched as fingertips teased across sensitive metallic strips or the tender linings of wires twitching under flesh.

“Such sensitivity, Leon. Your processors are bound to overload with such continuous stimulus.” Shepard moaned at a sudden pressure on his lower ribs, a sharp spike of pleasure causing his body to snap into it, “Oh god,” Legion felt the strange pulse through his systems at the breathless tone and growing lust beneath it. The geth moved further onto the bed, pulling Shepard along to lay him down on the sheets as the man panted lightly at the sparks over his body at the icy silk on his burning flesh.

Legion moved toward the edge of the bed as it took a moment to gaze fully at Shepard, lights dancing across flesh and the synthetic band around his neck flickered beautifully as data shown brightly to the geth. It was a stunning sight to see, all the data sparking across his being, through flesh and synthetic combined. The geth was experiencing a combination of lust and admiration, as it now curiously traced marred flesh having noted in his observations that many species revered the scars from battle. Shepard calmed a bit as he shifted to lean against pillows, closing his eyes at the gentle trailing of cold metal along age old scars, each with their own history and story. Not one as much as the black mark stretch across his face, the prominent with its change from a pasty white to a dark black splintering small marks as they trickled along the mark.

“Leon, you desire more contact? More stimulus?” Shepard opened his eyes leisurely and nodded slowly as he sat up, hands rather steady as he worked to rid himself of the remainder of his clothing. Legion watched closely, also wanting to continue to touch, to feel and to experiment with Shepard, with Leon. The hiss of the door sliding open caused them both to focus their attention in that direction.

EDI stood in all her mechanical glory and stepped inside without the human condition of shyness at the position the two were in. Legion looked up and then let his attention fall back to the various sensitive areas on Shepard’s body. 

“Greetings, EDI how many we assist you?” Legion’s voice was crisp as Shepard shuddered at the rather accurate fingers digging into his hip teasing up sensitive wires and points. EDI stepped forward to get a closer look at Shepard’s enhancements as she stood at the foot of the bed in-front of Shepard.

“I came to simply examine Shepard’s new acquisitions and form.” Shepard looked at EDI questionably for a moment before he gave a slight nod toward her as she stepped closer and put a hand under chin as a scanning beam emitted from her visor to run over Shepard for a few seconds before she took a moment, possible updating from Shepard’s past examinations.

Legion shifted and allowed Shepard to get up as EDI moved to the side before nodding a bit, “This will take some thought I will have to compare data from previous examinations before I can come to any conclusions.” She stated simply before folding her arms, she appeared to want to ask something Shepard noticed it as he consider calling it a night.

“Anything you want to ask, EDI?” The female AI nodded and stepped forward curiously touching the external spine and ribs, “Do you find it strange? Having changed so much over such a small time frame?” Shepard took a moment before he loosely folded his own arms and looked at her, “Considering what we’ve managed these past five years it just seems like business as usual.” EDI seemed to take that into consideration, “Thank you for your input, Shepard.” She left after saying and doing what she came for. There were never any secondary motives with the inorganics, much more direct and to the point. Definitely refreshing.

“Do you require rest?” Legion’s question was slightly arched with curiosity and the geth was leaning against the wall above the bed, a strangely casual look for the synthetic.  
“Yes, a few hours of sleep will do me some good. I’ll call a meeting before the mission and clear the air with any questions they’ll have, which I know they will. The situation was too strange and sudden to just be brushed off.” Shepard kicked off the rest of his clothes, leaving himself in only a skin-tight pair of shorts worn under military gear as he threw back the covers and sliding in as he laid his head on the geth’s lap as Legion very gently moved some of Shepard’s hair from covering his neck.

“Interface?” Legion nodded slowly, “If you would not mind.” Shepard shook his head as hair thin cables slid from the geth to connect on the dark strip circled around Shepard’s neck as small flashes of light signaled a proper connection. The comforting presence of Legion’s platform helped ease Shepard into something akin to sleeping though now with less humanity to lean on sleep was not the right term. Shepard was simply going into a brief ‘recharge’ or stasis for him to rest. The geth stayed with Shepard throughout the night and during the short hours of rest, briefly the bright optic dimmed in recharge both of their unbound minds drifting in the data streams surrounding them.

“What do you think about all of this?” Tali’s voice was confused and conflicted even with seeing Shepard after being taken away by the synthetic comrade. Garrus gave a bit of a shrug as he was hard at work at his console before speaking, “I’m not sure what to think about this, about any of it.” He said his voice sounded grave and unsure, his fingers moved too quickly as he started messing up as he hit the console before it flickered off.

“Damn thing! None of it makes sense!” He moved away from it out of frustration as he faced Tali, the quarian who had led him on for so long but was now here with him again. There was a heavy silence between them before Tali gave a slight sigh, “It doesn’t make any sense. I’m not even sure if I can understand it but Shepard has always been there.” She seemed to think before her shoulders sagged a bit, “Legion helped up defeat the Collectors but this is all wrong. Nothing makes sense with all this,” sitting down on a nearby short bench she leaned against the wall shaking her head. 

Garrus sat by her as he spoke, “This whole damn war doesn’t make sense. All I can hope is that we make it through to the end but it’s terrifying how we may be when it’s over. Dead, alive or somewhere in between?” He put his arm around her and pulled her close as he gently stroked her arm, “We’re all making sacrifices, Tali. Some more than others, and all sacrifices are not physical. Every time we save the galaxy we’re losing a piece of our minds with it.” Tali leaned against him and he rubbed her arm reassuringly as he chuckled with the seriousness hanging over them.

“Even if the galaxy is destroyed we’re going on our own terms.” Tali felt cheered up somewhat by his words and looked at him as she relaxed and put her arm around him.  
“That’s good, because I’d rather not be killed without taking out some of those damn monsters myself.” The couple chuckled a bit and spent some time just being around each other as thoughts of the galaxy ending seemed more and more likely. 

Kaidan was almost fuming in his room, even after shutting himself in and standing in the shower. The hot spray did nothing to taper off his vicious need to tear the geth to shreds for even being around Shepard. That was HIS position, or it was supposed to be if he had taken the chance maybe it would be. Shepard may have trusted the geth but he couldn’t bring himself to, he felt guilty for not seeing Shepard was being the most effected by all the wars that raged to destroy everything around them. How could he?

Shaking his head, Kaidan tried to forget his anger, at least for the moment, as he saw Shepard in his mind again. The strong-willed Commander had gone from just his superior to one of his closest comrades and friends. Now he wasn’t sure what he wanted or needed from his comrade.

Did he want to keep their friendship together? Or risk it to admit his want for an intimacy between them. Ever since he had heard the turian rejected him, he felt he could see Shepard in another light but doing it was much more difficult. All he could see was the man who had been with him through hell and back, through Ashley’s death. The man had even forgiven him when he had accused him of being a traitor to the entire galaxy for siding with Cerberus, even when he had no choice in it. 

It was painful to think of. The fear of being alone, of dying without having a lover to hold onto as the world fell apart around them. He felt bitter at how it was always portrayed in movies that he had seen when he was younger, more naïve even. His youth never seemed more clear than in those brief moments, he thought of being happy and successful, of having lots of children with a beautiful wife. 

“I never was a settling down kind of man anyway,” he said the words feeling thick in his throat and sounding pathetic. The weight of his thoughts began to settle on him. What would he do? What would he do in desperation for someone to be with him when it was all over? Was it worth quickening his death? A shiver traveled down his spine as that question burned in his mind, like an ugly wound. Kaidan felt his mind become pitch black, a dark void draining all faith from him. He began to feel cold. What would he be willing to do to force feeling into his last moments? He felt bitter and quickly shook away the feeling, even as he felt it lingering in the back of his mind, tainting it. He couldn’t confront his thoughts, not now, not with his family, his friends at risk. Somehow, those thoughts only made him feel that much colder.

“Goddammit, Shepard.” He punched the walls in the small bathroom as he dried himself off before dressing lightly as he slid into his bed. Even as his anger followed him into sleep, his dreams soon dissipated into the vision he had seen coming off of the transport ship earlier. Even in his dreams, Shepard made his heart beat faster in ecstasy, and his mind spin with emotion. Somewhere, deep in his mind something began to crack.

Joker was surprised when EDI showed back up so quickly, she said she would need an hour or so but it had taken her less than that. 

“What are you doing back so quickly? Did you already do what you had to?” EDI didn’t answer him at first, her gaze hard on the panel in front of her as she suddenly stopped and sat back in her chair. The sudden stiffness and silence was heavy on Joker as he waited, he was opening his mouth to respond when EDI’s voice stopped him.

“I am sorry, Jeff.” Joker was thrown off by the apology as he looked at her puzzled, confused at it as he watched her slid out of her chair and approached him. She turned the weak-legged man toward her before embracing him and Joker almost cried. He could feel it. Feel the urgency of her embrace, it was gentle and it made something inside of him clench painfully as it was responding to her own anguish that was lingering in the intimate contact.

“EDI…” He didn’t know what to say but he pulled the AI to him, she easily moved onto his lap and simply held him close. The cool metal of her body against him was somewhat soothing, her head tucked against his neck and her arms looped around his neck. It hurt. It hurt deep in his chest, something was strange, it was off. It was like she was displaying sadness the only way she could and all he could think of was to hold her back.


End file.
